The Prodigal Daughter Returns!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Please take a moment and read this story of how God's love and mercy helped redeem one of his own precious daughters---Sandra Davis.

Tuesday--May 25th marked the year end celebration for over 300 Americorps/Vista members in the Dallas/Forth Worth area.

At the Americorps Awards Dinner on Tuesday May 25th, special recognition was given to #7 people. Those seven people were all awarded a beautiful crystal trophy that was given based on their outstanding service to their member agencies. As you may know the SoupMobile has had multiple members in the Americorps program for the last several years.

While all #7 awards given at the dinner were important, the Highest Award given was the: LARRY JAMES SPIRIT OF SERVICE AWARD. This is given in honor of Larry James--Executive Director of Central Dallas Ministries. For many years Larry has been on the front lines in the Dallas area in the war against poverty. This award is only given to one Americorps member each year. It is a special and unique award in that its only given to the best of the best.

I'm proud to announce that our own Sandra Davis (SoupMobile Warehouse Manager) was this years winner of the top award. I was honored to be able to give the speech at the Awards Dinner announcing Sandra as the winner. Keep in mind that Sandra had no idea she would be awarded any of the #7 awards, let alone the top honor. I wish you all could have been there to see the audience reaction as I told Sandra's incredible turn around story and how she came back from a hard life on the streets to becoming one of the key players at the SoupMobile. How with God's help and redemption she is making an incredible difference in the lives of the homeless in the Dallas area. There were both tears and smiles from the audience members as I told how the 'Prodigal Daughter' came back from the abyss into Gods loving embrace.

One of the best perks of being the Executive Director of the SoupMobile is that I get to witness first hand people turning their lives around. No one is a better example of that than Sandra. She has come light years from her days on the streets to becoming a highly respected member of the Dallas community. Sandra is a shining beacon to anyone who wants to turn their life around. As she often says, "If I can do it---so can you."

Sandra, I know that I speak for the entire SoupTeam when I say how very proud we are of you. Some people 'WANT' to make a difference in this world---you 'ARE' making a difference!

May the Lord bless & keep you all.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Executive Director---SoupMobile Inc.

Home Sweet Home!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Whether you live in a House, Condo or Apartment, its the place that you call 'Home Sweet Home.'

In the Dallas area there are over 10,000 homeless men and women. They don't have a permanent place to call home. They are nomads in search of that thing we call 'Home Sweet Home.'

The SoupMobile started as a 'mobile' soupkitchen in 2003. In that first year we served 5,000 meals and at the time we thought that was a lot. Now we serve more than 200,000 meals per year. In 2009 we decided to expand our feeding operation to now include sheltering the homeless in a venture called: SOUPMOBILE VILLAGE. The Village is a series of group homes specifically designed to take a homeless person right off the streets, put a roof over their heads, clean them up, get them a job and eventually transition them back into regular working members of their community. Its a 'Hand UP' not a 'Hand OUT.'

We opened our first Men's Home on October 7, 2009. We opened our first Women's Home on April 1, 2010. I'm pleased to announce that we have just purchased our 3rd home and its scheduled to open in June 2010. This 3rd home was purchased thanks to the generous support of the Roger & Joy Beless family of Coppell, Texas and the Rick & Linda Graf family of Plano, Texas.

Slowly but surely the SoupMobile is making a dent in the homeless problem in the Dallas area. However I've had a few people say to me, 'Hey SoupMan, don't you get it---there are over 10,000 homeless people in the Dallas area---you can't make a difference.' My humble reply is to tell them the starfish story.

STARFISH STORY

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?"

The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back they'll die."

"Son", the man said, 'don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and thousands of starfish? You can't make a difference!"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said..."I made a difference for that one."

The SoupMobile is passionately committed to following the words of Jesus who said--- 'Feed MY Sheep.' We believe he meant more than just food. We think he also meant love, caring, compassion AND shelter.
So with God's leading we will (ONE STARFISH) at a time, save as many homeless men and women as we can.

How about you? Will you join the SoupMan and his fabulous SoupTeam in saving some Starfish? Will you join the SoupMan in helping some Starfish find their own 'Home Sweet Homes?' You can reach the SoupMan at 1-800-375-5022. He's waiting for your call.

May the Lord bless & keep you all.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan
Executive Director--SoupMobile Inc.