From Food Line to Banquet Table
2023-24: “From Food Line to Banquet Table,” aims to deepen our engagement with homeless clients by transitioning from a food line model to a more dignified and intimate dining experience that fosters a sense of belonging and community. The specific region in downtown Miami, where the ministry Heaven Sent operates, faces a significant issue with disengagement among the homeless population. A majority of the residents have already participated in various programs and missions available in the area, leaving them with diminished hope and a lack of motivation to seek change. These individuals rely heavily on frequenting food ministries as a means of daily survival.
The primary goal of our project is to implement a new program that rethinks the conventional food line model and creates a familial atmosphere where our dedicated volunteers can sit with and serve the homeless clients. We want to slow the process down. By transforming the way we provide meals, we hope to restore a sense of dignity, respect, and connection among the individuals we serve. We plan to start this transition with three banquets over the course of the grant period, during which we will intentionally learn the stories and needs of our displaced neighbors. Heaven Sent desires to go deeper with their clients, to see how we can help with additional needs beyond food provision. These banquets will foster deeper connection through food, music, art, and storytelling.
Brian Peterson is an artist based in Miami, Florida who works in Southern California. Brian’s use of vibrant colors and simplified geometries to capture the essence of the human spirit is what some have called a “contemporary street art” style. Drawing on his design background as an award-winning automotive designer and his Christian faith, Brian portrays his subjects in a form that is minimalistic, yet from a Heavenly perspective. Brian’s work can be seen in homeless shelters across the United States as well as gracing the walls of high-ends shopping facilities like Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood & Highland) in Los Angeles.
The Collaborative Seed Grant initiative of the Ministry in the City HUB invites artists, pastors, youth workers, churches, and/or faith-based organizations to partner together on a seed or start-up project that integrates the arts or a creative practice with ministry and community. Our inaugural cohort of CS grantees include artists from Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and New York, partnering with local churches and community organizations.
