Sunday Service and Meal

We serve a hot meal and offer a worship service each Sunday afternoon that is attended primarily by the urban poor and homeless. We also distribute clothing, offer medical services, and provide haircuts. A number of church and community groups volunteer at various times throughout the year to serve at Ladle. We provide a safe environment for our volunteers to learn about and to serve the urban poor and homeless. You can find out about volunteering at Ladle volunteers.

Many of our guests suffer from untreated medical or psychological conditions. Every Sunday a team of doctors and nurses provide medical screening and help our guests navigate the complicated healthcare system. See Street Corner Care.

Each Sunday there is a table in the dining room where guests can submit requests for clothing items, toiletries, blankets, and a number of other items. We typically fill orders from 70–90 guests each week. As a result we give out several hundred items each week. Most of the items we distribute are donated. You can find out more about donating goods at Donating goods.

There is a team of volunteers who sit down at the tables with our guests and write down any prayer requests they might have. These prayer requests are scanned and emailed to over ninety prayer warriors so they can pray for our guests during the week. You can sign up to receive weekly prayer requests at Becoming a Prayer Partner.

Haircuts are a popular addition to Ladle’s list of services. There are several volunteers providing haircuts for our guests (both men and women). We often see a visible change in our guest’s demeanor after receiving a haircut. Below are before and after pictures for one of our guests.

Since almost everyone today, including the homeless, have cell phones, we have a cell phone charging station where guests can have their phones charged while they eat. On most Sundays we also have a foot care station where a podiatry nurse and her assistants care for the feet of our guests.

One Sunday a month there is a team from Ruger's Rescues that supply treats and other items such as leashes and feeding bowls to our guests that have dogs and cats.

Here are some comments from our guests

I love coming to Ladle because of the services they provide, but mostly because of the love we feel from the volunteers and the Lord’s presence is present and provides a healing time for those of us in need — plus — the prayers are a lifesaver.

I am currently homeless and have only been here for the food for a third time. Even though it’s only been a short time this program is a god send. You really are doing God's work that cannot be expressed in words. I hope and pray this program continues because these meals have helped me in ways I cannot express. Every volunteer has such a warm and welcoming demeanor which is so needed when people are in situations such as mine. The food is also very delicious. Thank you for everything you do and for this program.

There are places where the presence and love of God are obvious. Ladle is such a place. This ministry has been a tremendous blessing for me, it has made a difficult time quite a bit better and I am truly grateful for it.

Giving Back

Each Sunday we collect an offering from our guests. They are amazingly generous. We also take an offering at concerts by our Street Choir. How does Ladle use the money collected? The picture below shows Ladle director, Pascal Dickinson, presenting a check for $6000 to the Monarch school, a school for homeless kids.