Finding Purpose Through Helping Community
For Lynn Mearidy, life hasn’t always been easy, but she’s always had her faith to fall back on in tough times. Born and raised in North Baton Rouge, Lynn fell ill after working as an East Baton Rouge Parish Schools bus driver for 22 years. Eventually, she would need to use a wheelchair due to that illness, but she has not let that stop her from continuing to work and finding ways to help others.
Now a part-time security officer for DOTD on a fixed-income, Lynn reflects on her own struggles with food insecurity and how she came to a life of service as a volunteer at the Ever-Present God Ministries Food Pantry.
“I had grandchildren living with me at the time and we came over and received a box of food and everything. When I came in, there weren’t too many people working, so I decided that I wanted to give something back. So, I started volunteering to help others,” Lynn recalls.
Seeing the need of others first-hand each week made Lynn want to do more and she has continued to give it everything she has, even catching a CATS bus from her home just to get to the pantry to volunteer on Wednesdays.
“In this area, a lot of people walk to the food pantry, and they really need it here. In the summer we see more single moms coming in with kids, and it breaks your heart. Sometimes people work but they still don’t have enough to pay the bills and put food on the table and so having this food available to fill the gaps is a blessing,” she said. “You can tell they really need the food because they are here at 7 o’clock in the morning waiting for us to start at 11 o’clock.”
Once able to help pack boxes when she was more mobile, Lynn now uses a wheelchair most of the time, she says. Despite the challenges of transportation each week, she still catches the bus so that she can greet people at the pantry, signing them in and giving them their cards to receive their food boxes.
“It hurts when we still have people coming, and we have to tell them that we are out of boxes. That’s a depressing time for me,” Lynn said. “If I think that person is struggling more than me, I will give them my box because I believe God is going to provide for me even if I give mine to someone else who needs it more. I know I have an extra blessing coming if I help someone else.”
Lynn has been truly inspired by her pastor who runs the pantry.
“I thank God that I’m able to help people because I remember a time when I would have to feed my grandchildren and make sure they had enough before I fixed my own food because there just wasn’t enough for all of us,” Lynn said. “This is what God wants you to do – help feed the poor and the hungry. The pastor that oversees the program is the type of person who has love for people and wants to help people. She has a lot of love in her heart for all people and that inspires me.”
Turning Compassion Into Action by Giving Back
