Philadelphia homeless filled physically, spiritually, and musically on Father's Day
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- "A father is there to direct, to strengthen and to build up and to give direction," said Brian Jenkins.
He was born in Philadelphia and raised in Ardmore as a foster child. "My mom died when I was 5, my father abandoned me before I was born," he said.
Now that he is a father himself, he is showing the whole city what Father's Day truly means.
Jenkins pioneered a massive food distribution this morning to commemorate the holiday.
The issues of homelessness, the COVID-19 pandemic, and racial injustice met at the vertex of LOVE Park today. Participants dissolved their worries for a moment of good food and even better music.
It was hosted by Chosen 300 Ministries, of which Brian Jenkins is the Executive Director. The organization started in 1996 when Jenkins exited the Merriam Theater and offered a single homeless person the remaining change in his pocket.
Now celebrating 24 years of service, they have expanded their meal initiative worldwide.
Today, they invited the Philadelphia Police Department to assist in meal distribution. Jenkins says they are celebrating the black, blue, and even brown.
Brown, in this case, is the color of the United Parcel Service, or UPS. They presented a $10,000 check to aid in Chosen 300 Ministries' future endeavors.
"I was standing over here looking at this and saying, you know, we need more of this," said Inspector Walter Smith with the Philadelphia Police Department.
Together with the Office of Homeless Services, the Philadelphia Police works with such individuals on a regular basis.
"We're doing a lot today. We definitely need to do more," Inspector Smith said.
To learn more about Chosen 300 Ministries, visit Chosen300.org.
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