By ANN PIERCEALL
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
HANNIBAL, Mo. — For nearly a decade, Loaves & amp; Fishes, a program to feed the hungry in Hannibal, has changed the lives of those it serves and those who serve.
Nearly every night, Monday through Friday, at Hannibal's First United Methodist Church, 901 Broadway, Loaves & amp; Fishes volunteers serve a hot meal to about 50 people. For many, it's their lone meal of the day.
"There are some people who live on the street, literally, and need a hot meal and are finding it," program coordinator Ron Pashia said.
Pashia firmly believes the program is God-driven, and that accounts for its success.
"All we are are instruments, servants" he said. "When things work, it's because God's in it. That's why when we get down to $102.17 in our account ... (we) get a check from somebody," he said. "We have phenomenal steady givers."
That includes Pashia's meal volunteers. There is a group that comes in every night made up of people from 16 different organizations or churches, as well as two "floater" groups that cover extra weekdays, such as fifth Mondays of a month.
Pashia would some day like to expand the program to include overnight shelter and other assistance. To do that, Loaves & amp; Fishes would need it's own facility.
Loaves and Fishes was started in 2001 through the efforts of pastors in the Hannibal Ministerial Alliance.
Initially, the site moved from church to church, then about two and half years ago, First United Methodist Church offered its fellowship hall at 901 Broadway in Hannibal, Mo.
The Rev. Helen McFarland is pastor of First United Methodist Church and Hydesberg United Methodist Church. She said her parishioners volunteer two nights a week at Loaves & amp; Fishes. She said it's an important effort and one of the church's outreach program.
"It serves some homeless people," she said. "It serves lower socio-economic groups, people who might not have a meal in the evening. It serves those who live alone and eat alone -- they need the fellowship of a group. It's all ages at almost every meal."
Leigh Allen's Brownie troop serves Loaves & amp; Fishes once a month. The group of more than 15 youngsters started in May.
Allen said she saw it as a good opportunity for a community service project.
"I thought it would be good for the girls to see that not everybody sits down to a table for dinner at home like they do. And it was something they could get their hands on and hands into," she said.
The girls serve whatever meal has been prepared by their adult partners. They also are responsible for prep and cleanup work, and they have fellowship with the people taking part in Loaves & amp; Fishes.
"It's been wonderful," Allen said. "The girls have actually made friends with some of the people who come in. They look forward to it, and the visitors to Loaves & amp; Fishes look forward to the Brownies coming."
Allen said her daughter, Kenadi, "gets excited about serving" and comes away with a feeling of "giving back to the community." She said most of the girls in Troop 9024 serve on Loaves & amp; Fishes night.
"They're very generous in giving, they don't complain at all, they're ready to start working, and they work together as a team," she said. "And they'll never forget it. They'll never, ever forget doing that. They're giving instead of taking at a young age. That's going to make them responsible to community and to themselves as adults."
Pashia said that's the spirit of all his volunteers.
"These people are in Christ's light. ... They don't just talk it, they walk it," he said.
For more information about Loaves & amp; Fishes, call Pashia at (573) 231-6642.
-- apierceall@whig.com/(573) 221-5879
