Mother Child Retreat, a non-profit organization, hosted a Homeless Feed event on Saturday, Oct. 3. The Homeless Feed’s purpose was to provide those who are less fortunate during the pandemic with a meal.
Mother Child Retreat (MCR) is a non-profit organization that focuses on providing various services that are offered to low-income families, single mothers, and fathers. The organization started in 2014 by Tamesha Harris who is the current CEO of Mother Child Retreat.
Tamesha Harris is a single mother of 3 and has experienced various struggles through life, but explained how she had benefited from a support system that gave her the extra motivation to push through the obstacles presented. Harris created this organization as a class project in her bachelor’s degree program. “This organization is based on the idea that many don’t have a support system to help them through the rough points in life,” she stated. After the project, a few others and herself decided to make it a reality. “As a preacher’s kid, I have always had a heart for helping others,” Harris stated.
MCR, according to their website, offers many services for free for families and individuals who are in need of extra help to push them through their struggles. The services offered are employment, nutrition, finances, community, and support. These services are free to their clients because of the donations and volunteers that help support the organization.
Harris explained that she understands that a little goes a long way. She tries to help as much as she can with her team. Harris stated that when she has a client that needs something from food to a job, she posts their needs anonymously on her Facebook page and will slowly receive donations from others in the community.
The Homeless Feed is an event that started since the beginning of COVID to be engaged with the community. These community outreach events are planned every 2 to 4 weeks. Harris stated that “when many think about the homeless, that they think of drug addictions and unstable mindsets, but even though there are a few, most of the homeless are families and individuals who are ‘down on their luck’”.
“MCR will be going out to hand out lunch bags with a sandwich, chips, fruit, and water,” according to the MCR Facebook page. “We will be going downtown by the Graces Circle, W Columbus, Q Street, and Patriots Park.”
Harris plans to organize another community outreach event by the end of October. This event will reach out to women and mothers to supply them with self-care packages, according to Harris. She explained, that women need to take time for themselves and take a day for “me time”.