[The PBJ Outreach Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity under the Internal Revenue Code.]
The Inspiring Story of PBJ Outreach, Inc.
In October of 2002, Deacon Tim Sullivan and four other faith-filled people began the PBJ Ministry in the heart of the inner city of Detroit. They set up a card table in a vacant lot at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and 3rd St. within the Cass Corridor. They didn’t know who owned the lot, just that there were people in need there. They began making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on site keeping the bees from becoming part of the cuisine. They served approximately thirty people that day and vowed to come back. PBJ Outreach now serves up to 350 people every Saturday morning with anywhere from 40 to 60 volunteers helping between food prep and service.Seven years later the food preparation is done at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Plymouth, Michigan beginning with an early wakeup call to begin preparations by 5:30AM. The menu now features four meat sandwiches, one peanut butter and jelly sandwich, one jelly sandwich, one tuna fish sandwich, one bag with a loaf of bread and a jar of either jelly or peanut butter and a hot item. Also on the menu is an assortment of pre-packaged snacks and candy, bottled water, juice and coffee.
The team has tackled the management of the process by setting up a queue for the guests to walk through, having runners behind the servers to refill any items that are running low, and having certain items strategically placed. For the handicapped and families with small children, there is a smaller version of the setup on the sidewalk for easy access.
What makes this prep-and-serve group so amazing is how they embrace the needs of the guests and bring their ideas to the ‘party’. There are individuals who bring smiles, conversation and cheer to the people as they walk around offering coffee and juice to those standing in a long line. Others give hugs to people who are considered untouchable. Patient conversations take place with those whose stories are filled with childlike fantasy and color. Young adults entertain the children to help the parents find their way through the line. The candy man hands out lollipops to everyone. He’s found that adults never grow up and everyone has their favorite flavor. Deacon Tim stands in his sandals with his partner waiting for the opportunity to pray with anyone whose heart is open for one. Prayers are not required, sermons are not required. Heart to heart conversations with spiritual guidance and prayers are available for anyone who requests it. One woman walks around with minimal first aid supplies to help bring comfort to those who physically need it. With only the experience of being a mom, there are assorted creams and bandages all distributed with great care. A selection of donated books to help pass the time, edify the soul or educate are all on hand for distribution; a hot item to be sure. With the same great management skills, a free clothing ‘shopping’ experience awaits the guests every second and fourth Saturday of the month. These individuals also bring specialty items at important times of the years. When school starts, along with clothing, there are school supplies, at Mother’s Day, out come the best of the jewelry, purses and shoes gathered over the year. Father’s Day brings watches, hand held video games and sports equipment.
The love of the people of Detroit and this city are palpable. There are servers who show up at the lot who come from the city. They were driving by and saw the great gift of hope taking place and felt the call to help their fellow neighbors. They remind the rest of us who are from the suburbs that Detroit is alive with love, fellowship and promise of better days. Other organizations from within the city and other suburban communities have begun to show up to help as well.
The people we provide for come from a large cross section of the city. There are the guests who have lost their jobs and need temporary help. There are the elderly who are on fixed incomes and need supplemental help, there are single parents trying to make their way on the means they have and find they just need a little more support. There are guests who must be lead by their angels to find their way to us due to their physical and mental disabilities. But in it all, the smiles are there, the laughs are there and the hope is there. When asked how they are, so many respond, “I am blessed.” We serve those who society deems as outcasts, such as the prostitutes, drug addicts and ex-convicts. No one is considered beyond hope or unworthy to this group.
It is with great devotion that PBJ Outreach can say it has fed over 110,000 people and has never missed a Saturday in seven years no matter the weather or if it is a holiday. The people know PBJ Outreach will be there at 8:00AM and have whatever they need that day. PBJ Outreach is currently funded solely by private donors and run by volunteers. We have individuals who give of their time and talent organizing lucrative fundraisers. We are most thankful for those who have given financially, in-kind, and/or of their time. These are remarkable people. Unfortunately, we were informed by the owner of the lot that he is looking to develop there soon. A soup kitchen is going to be required by us in the very near future.
PBJ Outreach, Inc. is currently in the process of expanding. There is a group of people who have the ability and ambition to work but are lacking the skills to provide themselves a living wage. They are at risk of succumbing to the vices, behaviors and beliefs that hopelessness brings. These individuals do not fit the profile of the No Worker Left Behind Program and therefore are in a precarious position. They are pivotal in the rebirth and renaissance of Detroit. With an increase in their self-esteem, there is so much they can offer the city both financially and in the promise of their future that will feed the spirit of Detroit. PBJ Outreach, Inc. is planning to open a facility that will give culinary skills and life skills training to the unemployed. We are hopeful that the combination will translate to a successful new lifestyle for the employee. We are looking to include a restaurant and café/bakery as the lab work and classrooms for the life skills and management training. We would like to incorporate urban farming into our program with the goal in mind of helping stock the soup kitchen. Job placement and healthcare are also in the works.
Although it sounds ambitious, we liken this endeavor to Noah’s Ark. Noah saved good people from destruction and he persevered through persecution, hardships and humble beginnings. We have many experts in various fields who are excited to get working on this project. Our team consists of healthcare professionals, life skill teachers, culinary art professors, small business owners, attorneys, fundraisers and event planners, investors, controllers, marketing and strategic planners, job placement coordinators, participating banks in monetary education, architects, web designers and computer specialists, urban farmers, and organizations that have agreed to work with our employees. The only thing we now need is high level financial backing. Unlike most training programs, we do not qualify for the No Worker Left Behind student scholarships nor do we qualify for federal funds as we do not provide degrees or state-and-federal certifications.
Please visit our website at http://www.pbjoutreach.org to learn more about ways we help the community, what we need, how to get involved and our future plans to help with the growing number of needs in Southeast Michigan. To speak with us directly, please contact:
Deacon Tim Sullivan
President
734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
Christina Hohman
Program Manager
734-781-5514
chohman08@wowway.com
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