History of Mt. Olive Feeding Ministry
The Mount Olive Feeding Ministry had its humble beginning in 1986 under the leadership of Pastor James McDonald and visionary, Sister Hattie Mills. Sister Mills recognized that there were a growing number of low income individuals in the community that needed assistance with their food purchases. With assistance from Sisters, Velma Bell, Mildred Andry, and Florence Martin, Sister Mills begin distributing an assortment of breads to the needy one day a week. Recognizing that there was an even greater need than they originally recognized, the ladies added a hot meal to their one day a week bread distribution, thus the beginning of the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry.
In 1996, under the Leadership of Rev. Herbert Spears, Sister Lydia Brookter with assistance from the Mt. Olive A. M. E. Church Women Missionary Society continued the vision started by Sister Mills of providing a hot meal to the needy one day a week. The Feeding Ministry expanded its ability to help meet the needs of the needy by delivering meals to the sick and shut-ins.
In 2003, newly appointed Pastor Otis Lewis noted that one hot meal a week was not sufficient for the needy that had no other means of support. At Pastor Lewis’s direction, the Feeding Ministry days of operations were expanded to three (3) days a week and later that year to six (6) days a week. Prior to expanding the Feeding Ministry daily operation to six days a week, an open appeal was made to the community for volunteers. As a result of the appeal, volunteers from Aldersgate United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church and several other churches and organizations in the community became aware of the Feeding Ministry Mission and became volunteers.
On August 29, 2005, the Feeding Ministry Building was devastated beyond repair with six feet of flood waters from Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the needy population in the area grew at an exponential rate. Recognizing the increased need of the needy in the area, Pastor Cedell Raggs led a project to renovate the church parsonage located directly across the street from the Feeding Ministry Building into a temporary Feeding Ministry Facility.
In 2006, Rotary Rebuild Slidell and the Fran Walter Foundation jointly agreed that the mission of the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry was too vital to the community to continue to be hindered by the limitation of the temporary facility. The Fran Walter Foundation awarded a grant to Rotary Rebuild Slidell to construct a new state of the arts facility for the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry. In September of 2007, the new four thousand square feet Feeding Ministry Facility was dedicated for the explicit purpose of serving the needy.
With the retirement of Sister Lydia Brookter in May of 2010, the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry mission was continued under the direction of Sister Natasha Woods. The Ministry is now under the direction of Site Director, Ella Smith. The Feeding Ministry currently serves and delivers approximately 250 meals a day, six days a week.
“I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak,
and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, How he said,
it is more blessed to give than to receive”. Acts 20:35
Meals Served Year
66,732 2007
70,840 2008
82,766 2009
89,741 2010
37,209 2011
In 1996, under the Leadership of Rev. Herbert Spears, Sister Lydia Brookter with assistance from the Mt. Olive A. M. E. Church Women Missionary Society continued the vision started by Sister Mills of providing a hot meal to the needy one day a week. The Feeding Ministry expanded its ability to help meet the needs of the needy by delivering meals to the sick and shut-ins.
In 2003, newly appointed Pastor Otis Lewis noted that one hot meal a week was not sufficient for the needy that had no other means of support. At Pastor Lewis’s direction, the Feeding Ministry days of operations were expanded to three (3) days a week and later that year to six (6) days a week. Prior to expanding the Feeding Ministry daily operation to six days a week, an open appeal was made to the community for volunteers. As a result of the appeal, volunteers from Aldersgate United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church and several other churches and organizations in the community became aware of the Feeding Ministry Mission and became volunteers.
On August 29, 2005, the Feeding Ministry Building was devastated beyond repair with six feet of flood waters from Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the needy population in the area grew at an exponential rate. Recognizing the increased need of the needy in the area, Pastor Cedell Raggs led a project to renovate the church parsonage located directly across the street from the Feeding Ministry Building into a temporary Feeding Ministry Facility.
In 2006, Rotary Rebuild Slidell and the Fran Walter Foundation jointly agreed that the mission of the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry was too vital to the community to continue to be hindered by the limitation of the temporary facility. The Fran Walter Foundation awarded a grant to Rotary Rebuild Slidell to construct a new state of the arts facility for the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry. In September of 2007, the new four thousand square feet Feeding Ministry Facility was dedicated for the explicit purpose of serving the needy.
With the retirement of Sister Lydia Brookter in May of 2010, the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry mission was continued under the direction of Sister Natasha Woods. The Ministry is now under the direction of Site Director, Ella Smith. The Feeding Ministry currently serves and delivers approximately 250 meals a day, six days a week.
“I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak,
and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, How he said,
it is more blessed to give than to receive”. Acts 20:35
Meals Served Year
66,732 2007
70,840 2008
82,766 2009
89,741 2010
37,209 2011
