Hot Meals and Hope

Greensburg nonprofit Feeding the Spirit approaches 100,000th hot meal served to Westmoreland County residents facing hunger, poverty and homelessness.

It all started with a morning run.

One day in 2011, Greensburg resident Deb Thackrah was out for a run on her usual route when she passed several people who appeared to be homeless. Deeply moved, she felt called to act. “Right then and there I decided that, as a community, we needed to do better,” she says. Later that year, Thackrah founded local nonprofit Feeding the Spirit.

Since then, Feeding the Spirit has grown into a vital support system for Westmoreland County residents facing hunger, poverty and homelessness. A weekly Thursday meal distribution has become a cornerstone of the outreach, starting with about 165 meals per week and now regularly serving more than 200.

But the organization’s work extends well beyond meals. Feeding the Spirit provides emergency hotel stays, rent assistance, diapers (in partnership with the Diaper Bank of Western PA), and other essential items like laundry soap and personal care products. “With the significant rise in rent costs, it is difficult for many people to have the funds to begin their independent living journey,” explains Thackrah.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of the organization, from weekly meal help to organizing seasonal drives. “Our relatively small size enables us to pivot as needed,” says Thackrah, pointing to the close-knit group of board members, volunteers and local supporters who keep operations running smoothly.

In 2022, Feeding the Spirit was named Non-Profit of the Year by the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce. “It means a lot to be recognized for the work we do in the community,” says Thackrah. “Most importantly, it highlights the needs that exist and introduces us to some people who did not know about us.”

Now, as they approach their 100,000th hot meal served, the team is both proud and motivated. “That milestone means we have been able to remain committed to our goal of supporting individuals and families who are in food-insecure situations. However, it also means there is a lot of work that needs to be done.”

An upcoming fundraiser—Tailgate & Celebrate—will be held Sept. 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Stratigos Banquet Centre in North Huntingdon. Guests can enjoy appetizers, a Pittsburgh cookie table, live music, raffles and more. Tickets are $35 in advance at feedspirit.org and $40 at the door.

Community members can get involved by sponsoring meals, donating goods or purchasing items from the nonprofit’s Amazon wish list. And with the recent purchase of a building on Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg, Feeding the Spirit now has a permanent home base after 14 years of operating out of volunteers’ homes.

“After helping so many others find a home,” says Thackrah, “we finally found one for Feeding the Spirit.”