Providing a Feast of Hope

Kaye Cathey spearheads volunteers who support bell county’s homeless population

By AMY ROGNLIE | Photos courtesy of KAYE CATHEY

Feast of Hope founder Kaye Cathey and her team of volunteers all have one goal: to bring the Bell County community together to share what they have to help meet the needs of those less fortunate.

“I believe that God has given each community the resources it needs to meet the basic needs of the people living there — it’s just knowing how and where to access them — and motivating the people who have the means to help to do so,” Cathey says.

Feast of Hope, an outreach to the homeless, began 12 years ago with two large events at Bethel Church in Temple. Cathey’s church and the community got involved and together they served and ministered to over 100 people in need with almost that many volunteers each time.

The group soon began hosting an event at Feed My Sheep on every month with a fifth Saturday.

At each Saturday event, Cathey and 25-50 volunteers serve 140-150 hot meals and distribute 50 sack lunches. They also offer wellness checks by area nurses, free haircuts, manicures and more, including providing free hygiene kits, T-shirts and socks. Socks, Cathey says, are the most-requested item by the homeless.

In addition to Feast of Hope’s Saturday events, the group also supports various community events, as well as providing “Triage Days” on the third Tuesday of each month, all at Feed My Sheep. On Triage Days, area service providers assist with much-needed resources.

One of the most important aspects of what Cathey does is filling in the gaps for services with no delay in processing – doing things that no other agency does, such as providing gas so someone can get to where they are going, purchasing an over-the-counter medication, or providing a motel room for a homeless family to get out of the rain. They strive to meet basic needs with no questions asked and no red tape.

“People don’t know the right resources or who to call,” Cathey says. “I feel like I’m an advocate, and I do a lot of orchestrating. For example, I recently had a lady call who had a huge electric bill, and another woman who had been out of power for two weeks.” Cathey got to work and found two churches who were willing to help pay those bills. “I always tell people, ‘If you can help someone right then, then do it. Don’t wait another day. And if you see somebody hungry, feed them. They’re not like this because they want to be. They need someone to be kind to them and say something nice to them.”

A longtime mover and shaker in Bell County, Cathey is a small woman with a giant heart. She was one of the pioneers of Feed My Sheep, a Christian ministry to the homeless in downtown Temple, and serves on the FMS board. She has served as a member of the Temple Homeless Task Force and has served as president and vice president of the Central Texas Homeless Coalition in years past. Cathey also serves as treasurer/secretary on the Board for Priceless Beginnings, a domestic violence organization — all on her own time while she works a full-time job in the computer industry. “I know that God has called me to do this. I want people to know that God has more in store for them.”

And it appears there is more in store for Feast of Hope, as well. Cathey has a vision to bring the community together in an even greater way by adding services such as a providing transitional housing and repairs on sub-standard housing, a hospital ministry that would provide durable equipment and other items to those who don’t qualify, and a prison ministry complete with reentry centers and safe places for permanent living to provide “next chapter” support for those who have been incarcerated. She also hopes to add mental health advocates — making sure people with mental health issues get to their appointments, take their medications, manage their money properly, etc.

“We want to be anywhere there is a gap in services. And believe me there are huge gaps,” Cathey says. “But God — we serve a BIG God!”

HOW TO HELP

• Volunteer on fifth Saturdays at Feast of Hope — bring food items for the meal and sack lunches; cut hair; paint nails; assist with special projects
• Volunteer on third Tuesdays on triage days
• Collect hygiene items: soap, deodorant, razors, combs, travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, lotion
• Donate new white T-shirts (adult Large, XL, 2X and 3X most needed), sleeping bags, backpacks, socks, HOP bus tokens, gift cards for new shoes, etc.
• Pay someone’s utility bill directly to the utility company. Help pay someone’s rent.

To learn more, email feastofhope@gmail.com or go to www.facebook.com/feastofhope.