About
Soul Food Near Me Cafe Mission Soul Food Cafe Mission gives box of food, healthy and beauty aids, clothes hair cuts, and hot meals on Tuesdays between 9am and 3pm at the Soul Food Cafe Mission located at 1717 S. Donaghey Ave. Conway AR 72034. You can keep track of the incredible mission Jesus is doing at the mission via Facebook by clicking on the link below. We were delighted to be awarded our Community Service Award from Senator Jason Rapert!
Soul Food Cafe Mission Statement
- To create a space that residents of our community, or passing through are able to receive, with no pressure or restriction, no-cost meal hot, boxes of food or clothing , without any kind of the race, creed, or religious beliefs.
- To communicate gospel messages of Jesus Christ in a creative way to all who listen, but not required of anyone in order to obtain any aid by the Mission.
- to provide a chance for congregations and those who believe of Jesus Christ from our community to be involved in the distribution of meals, clothing or assisting to those who come to the Mission for help.
- In order to maintain that the mission grounds are being non-denominationally neutral in order that everyone who believe to Jesus Christ can work together to advance God's Kingdom. God.
Our History
At some point in October 1994 Rick as well as Traci Harvey relocated back to the Conway area, and settled in Greenbrier. Rick was serving full-time in Christian ministry, however the move to Greenbrier was accompanied by an alteration in his vocation and Rick started working in the field of insurance. The Harvey's wanted an area in which they could minister and also be served by. They soon joined Christ Church which at that time was located on Bronnie Lane.
After a string of unplanned shifts, Rick was eventually asked to assume the pastoral position at Christ Church at least in part-time. He was named the pastor and served in that post for about six months. Under his direction the six or more families who attended the studycalled Experimenting with God Written by Henry Blackaby. The group's use of his seven principles will alter their lives forever.
- God is always working all around you.
- God is seeking a long-lasting relationship with you in love that is genuine and intimate.
- God will invite you to get part of His mission.
- God speaks through God's Holy Spirit in the Bible and through prayer, events and the church in order to reveal His purpose and ways of working.
- God's call for you to cooperate in partnership with Him will always lead you to a moment of doubt that demands faith and the ability to act.
- It is essential to make significant changes within your life in order to join God in the work He is doing.
- You discover God through your experiences as you follow Him and He completes His mission through you.
The family members determinedly wanted for the opportunity to "go where God is moving" according to what Blackaby was a teacher. After careful consideration of what this meant for the group and seeking the direction of God the group members decided to break up as a traditional congregation and to begin an effort to assist people in need in the Conway area.
Their first chance was a Wednesday night, 7 pm, free meal ministry that started on July 11 2001 in the restaurant of Brother T. Main Street Mission in Russellville supplied food for the meals. The volunteers cooked meals at the church located on Bronnie Lane and took it to Brother T's. Prior to everyone leaving the two locations needed to be cleaned. In it was decided that in October, they would start serving food from Christ Church.
At the same time, meal guests at the mission's dinner had started asking about food items that they could take to their homes. They were also asking for food boxes. Main Street Mission donated those also, with increasing amounts each week. And when the dinner was changed towards Christ Church, the food box program was born.
The method by which the organization got its name is an intriguing story. Members of the board wrote potential names, and then placed them in the hat. The winner was "Soul Food Cafe Mission." The idea was conceived by Traci. Rick thought about whether the name referred to the concept of "soul food" than "food for the body as well as food for the soul." Rick suggested that they put the names back into the hat and draw them again and then say, "If this is the name God wants for us, this will be the name we draw again."
It was.
In the event that a retirement center burned during the fire in Conway, Soul Food Cafe Mission was asked to become the beneficiary of community donations. This is when the mission became a furniture store, appliances, as well as clothing. But it was the Christ Church facility and everything within it was destroyed in the month of July in 2006. The mission was not affected, and concentrated the efforts of "regrouping, rebuilding and keeping up their extremely good work," as per The Log Cabin Democrat.
The Four Winds Church on Dave Ward Drive provided the use of their gym to the mission's storage and food boxes operation. As of the month of July, 2011 the mission celebrated their 10-year anniversary at the facility. It was estimated that over the ten years that they were there the mission provided food to more than 140,000 people. This is of people who regularly visit the facility and depend weekly on the meals provided.
As of the month of August, the building was destroyed in a fire. Three churches from the area immediately stepped in to help in finding a new home and the Mission has been operating at Second Baptist Church in downtown Conway since then.
In the past due to numerous donations, the organization was able to construct an area in the area of South Donaghey Avenue in Conway. The location was used primarily as a storage space but it will eventually become the central site for the ongoing food box distribution. It will provide food items, health and cosmetic items and clothing, A study space for the Bible as well as a washroom, an appliance and furniture showroom.