PawPaw’s Homeless Ministry’s first Miracle on 11th Street event

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Today, PawPaw’s Homeless Ministry hosted its first annual Miracle on 11th Street event.

PawPaw’s Homeless Ministry was officially created in 2019 as a ministry with St. Elmo United Methodist Church.

Over the last few years, the small organization has grown into a ministry that provides meals for the homeless community all year round.

Now, Mike Rice, founder of PawPaw’s Homeless Ministry, decided that it was time to host the very first annual Christmas event that provided not only food and drinks but clothes, shoes, toys for children, and even essential resources for clinic and bodily care.

With Christmas just a few weeks away, many members of the community always look for ways to help those who may be less fortunate.

The founder says, “This year’s going to be one of the many years that we do this. A lot of people ask, what will you do if it rains? Well, what we do is we’re here. The homeless, the unhoused people, live in the rain, the cold, the snow. Why would I not come out today and support them? If they live in it, I can sure come out and celebrate with them for the holidays.”

Kandi Lucas, a local beneficiary of the ministry’s efforts, says that she’s built a relationship with the volunteers and Mike Rice himself, as she refers to him as “PawPaw Mike.”

“To have all these resources and brother PawPaw Mike, it is very helpful toward getting off the streets and having people that care enough about us, especially around this time of the year, and love us enough to feed us, give us things that we can use, and have other things that we need.”

Non-profits, churches, and community partners came together to make sure many needs were met, including warm clothing, hygiene products, and especially toys for children, as Santa Claus is expected in 10 days.

Many of the items that they look to collect include:

•Socks (new or gently used)

•Winter gloves (men’s, women’s, or unisex)

•Winter hats

•Underwear (men’s and women’s)

•Feminine hygiene products

•Blankets

•Hygiene kits

•Backpacks (drawstring)

•Dog food (in quart-size bags)

•Umbrellas

•Flashlights

•Bottled water

This was not an event that only adults could volunteer at, as many youths participated in the spirit of giving.

Makenna Kirby, one of the youth volunteers, shares, “We’re here giving out bubbles and bags to the people who need them. We saw people walking on the side of the road who didn’t have much, and it looked like they needed a lot, so we decided to make these bags so they could have what they needed. It feels really good to know that we’re doing good for the world.”

Another local youth adds with pride, “It feels so good, it’s such a blessing to be here and help people who need help. Merry Christmas!”

Lucas invites those who may be in the same situation as herself to seek out the kindness of the ministry.

“If you’re homeless and you’re worried about if you need something to ask someone, just smile and let them know that you need it, and they’ll be very pleased to help you or to send someone else that you can go and ask for resources. So, if you’re homeless, go to the caseworkers at the homeless clinic and ask for them or ask the workers at the kitchen.”

Rice says that he enjoys building relationships with many of the homeless individuals.

He claims that if you randomly ask 100 of them on the street, he’d know 89 of those stories personally.

“We’re blessed just as much. As I said, we are all human beings. All we need to do is love one another.”

He explains, “The homeless community, they are part of my family. I know the homeless community, which makes them my family.”

The event was held on Sunday, December 15, from 2 PM to 4 PM on the 700 block of 11th Street, near the Chatt Foundation and Homeless Health Center, and was geared toward serving Chattanooga’s unhoused residents and assuring they have many of the essential resources.

The ministry says, “Miracle on 11th Street is a testament to the ministry’s ongoing commitment to uplift and empower the most vulnerable members of our city.”

If you’d like to learn more about PawPaw’s Homeless Ministry, you can contact the founder with the information below.

Phone: (423) 509-7571

Email: pawpawshomelessministry@gmail.com