Pasadena resident Terri Morgan is celebrating her first anniversary by feeding 1,000 homeless people.
Morgan opened Make and Take Gourmet, a food preparation company where families prepare meals to take home, last November. To celebrate, she decided to host an event for community leaders and business people where they could contribute to their community.
“I wanted to give back to the community that I knew was supporting me,” Morgan said. In order to find the appropriate outlet, Morgan headed to the Volunteer Center for Anne Arundel County, an organization that connects people with the best volunteer opportunities according to their skills, knowledge and energy.
The center paired Morgan with Happy Helpers for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization founded 16 years ago by then-10-year-old Amber Coffman and her mother, Bobbi.
“We feed the homeless in the streets of Baltimore and Anne Arundel County every Saturday and Sunday, no matter what the weather. In addition to food, we provide friendship, clothing, toiletries and blankets,” Bobbi Coffman said. “We give out about 600 sandwiches per week, and we have at least 80 volunteers at one time.”
Morgan’s event resulted in each of her guests assembling a four- to six-serving meal — a total of 50 meals that would feed hundreds of people. She then donated the meals, a value of more than $1,200, to Happy Helpers, which in turn served them to the homeless population it serves.
“We have a lot of businesses who are regular supporters, and it’s just touching,” Coffman said of Morgan’s efforts. “It inspires us, what people do for our organization.”
This year, Make and Take is doing things a bit differently. In spite of the struggling economy, Morgan’s goal is to make enough meals to feed 1,000 people. Over the weekend, Make and Take is inviting people to make a four- to six-serving meal for Happy Helpers for $25.
“We’re dedicating our anniversary weekend to Happy Helpers,” Morgan said. “We want people to really think before they sit down on Thursday and eat so much. There are people who will have nothing to eat that day.”
How to help
Happy Helpers for the Homeless
» Where: 403A Old Stage Road, Glen Burnie
» Info: 410-766-4973; happyhelpersforthehomeless.org
Make and Take Gourmet
» Where: 31 Magothy Beach Road, Pasadena
» Info: 410-360-9353; makeandtakegourmet.com/pasadena
» Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday
