Chesapeake In The Know

The pandemic has hit some worse than others. For too many in our community, it’s meant the loss of their home. Caring for the homeless during a pandemic is a challenge in and of itself but thankfully, the City that Cares has stepped up.

Every year, the City partners with CAST: Chesapeake Area Shelter Team to provide overnight shelter and food for the homeless during cold winter months. But when the pandemic made that no longer an option, City employees and volunteers found an alternative by providing winter sheltering at local hotels for as many as 50 guests a night. During the day, the We Care Resource Center, an initiative of Chesapeake Human Services, is open for those in need to come for a shower or to do laundry and to get help getting benefits, a job, and housing. But this still left the need to provide food. From this need, a new program was formed: Agape Feast Community Meals.

Agape Feast Community Meals works with local churches, organizations, and businesses to prepare food every week for those in need. Over 10,000 meals have been provided since the program started last year. This endeavor takes a lot of work and volunteers are always needed. Learn more about the program at AbbaList.org and if you’d like to help, email agapefeastmeals@gmail.com or call 757-321-9353.