Nine years ago, Tanya Murphy felt a calling in her life to do more than just talk about helping people who were homeless and hungry.
Murphy witnessed people who appeared homeless frequenting the back of an Athens supermarket, often sleeping on the ground with only blankets to protect them. She was certain they must be hungry. She followed her passion and began a ministry, distributing food from her vehicle.
She began accepting donations from individuals, churches and other groups with a determination to help ease a great burden within the community.
When Bertha Freeman first met Murphy, she had been homeless for about four months.
“I saw her behind Ingles, she had been living in a trailer with no electricity or water,” said Murphy. “Through community resources that we found, she counted down the days so she could get back into her home. She is an inspiration to me.”
Betty Williams looks back on her homeless days, recalling how fearful she was at times.
“It was very scary,” she said.
Williams and Freeman have formed a bond and on lunch days at the center, they enjoy a meal and conversation, both feeling gratitude for the initial help they received from Murphy.
“We both had angels at that time,” said Freeman.
Murphy continued her work, hoping for a building from which she could grow the program. In 2010, she became founder and facilitator for Grace and Mercy Ministries, which operates from the former Cooke United Center, now Cooke Ministry Center — a mission outreach of McMinn Methodist Ministries, located at 714 Walter Street in Athens.
As an interdenominational meeting space, the building is used by area churches and non-profit organizations for serving meals, offering Bible study, and enrichment classes such as art and music.
Murphy said, presently, there are 58 businesses and 13 religious denominations whose members volunteer their time, food and other resources to keep serving the area. New groups or volunteers are always welcome, she said.
“In June we served 1,300 meals. We average 80-100 each day,” said Murphy, who noted that ,while lunch begins at noon, many come early for fellowship.
Lunch is served at noon on Mondays and Fridays. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. on the second, third and fourth Thursdays of each month. There is no charge for meals.
Food boxes, clothing and blankets are available Monday through Saturday with an appointment, added Murphy.
Ray Johnson has been volunteering at Grace and Mercy Ministries for six years. He is there before the doors open, doing what needs to be done, from making coffee, preparing the serving line, setting the tables, and welcoming guests.
He spoke uplifting and motivational thoughts to about 80 who were there on Aug. 10 by telling them that choice is a very important thing in their lives.
“You can choose to have the kind of day you want to have,” said Johnson. “If you choose to have a good day, or week, you will. It’s all up to you.”
