This is the Lenten season and some folks in Hampton Roads are helping the homeless as part of their sacrifice.  I caught up with parishioners and volunteers at Grace Episcopal Church in Norfolk.

They are volunteering this week with the NEST program.  NEST stands for Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team.   The volunteers, which included a group of Norfolk State University students, helped bag up donated personal items to be handed out to the homeless.

They also helped serve food to the 40 some people who were brought to the church by bus.  The needy are brought together by Norfolk’s social services and the NEST program coordinators.    The group that received the food and personal items was very grateful.  Their backgrounds and stories vary.  Some are black, some are white.  Some are young, some are old.  Some are mentally challenged, some are employed but not making enough money to make ends meet.

The NEST program travels to different churches and the church and community members donate supplies and time to make their stay a good one.   Imagine if all of us who are able to, pitched in like this.