05 March 2013

The Salvation Army Coatesville Corps Community Center's Bread and Bread program is unlike any traditional food bank in the region. Over the past 13 years, the food distribution program has grown from a small operation in the The Salvation Army parking lot to a two hour gathering focused on fellowship with God and community

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 10 am to noon, approximately 80 to 100 individuals and families come together at The Salvation Army. For the first hour the community gathers in the chapel for a worship service, which incorporates signing, prayer, and a Bible message. Sometimes the program also includes a professional to offer free services, such as nurses checking blood pressures and lawyers offering legal advice. Afterwards attendees leave with donated food and produce from local supermarkets to help feed their families.

"It all starts with Bread and Bread. It is an opportunity for people to get to know each other, and we get to know them and give them the help they need," says Captain Ernesto Portillo, commanding officer of The Salvation Army Coatesville Corps Community Center.

Captain Portillo has seen the transformative impact the program has had on the community during the last six years he has served at the center. Bread and Bread offers an entry point for individuals to become involved with The Salvation Army and receive additional support. People who attend Bread and Bread also join Sunday worship services, have celebrated marriages in the worship center, and volunteer during the week. Along with helping to feed families,The Salvation Army also offers other social services, such as help with job applications, ESL classes, and referrals for drug and alcohol treatment.

Bread and Bread is a program that connects individuals into a community where they feel welcomed and cared for. Major Sidney Anderson has worked at The Salvation Army Coatesville Corps Community Center social service office for two years and describes Bread and Bread as a tremendous outreach, which individuals are extremely appreciative to The Salvation Army.

"One woman came to me in tears and said, 'this has been so important to me; it's not just the food, it's the fellowship."