Meet Dave: Currently homeless – Volunteers his time in the kitchen

On this day, Dave prepared and cooked chicken for anyone who came that was hungry and for the other community members who were working.

Whenever Dave is at Anawim, he cooks a full meal from the food that’s been donated, to share with everyone who comes into the day shelter, and with those who are volunteering their services at that time.

Dave has been a working professional chef throughout his life.

Dave is homeless and spends a good part of the summer sleeping in the woods and staying cool by floating down the Willamette River on his handmade raft.

He is working on overcoming his addictions and is 15 months clean from his 30 year drug addiction, and working toward overcoming his addiction to alcohol. “I’ve been struggling with my addictions for a long time,” he said “and it’s hard, so I’m working on giving up one thing at a time.”

While he no longer cooks for a pay check, Dave continues to cook for others as a way of helping those in need, giving back to the places and people who help him with what he needs, and for having something positive to do.

“Someone has to feed these idiots,” Dave says jokingly. He then went on to say, “I’ve been clean from drugs for 15 months. I have to keep myself busy. This gives me something to do and I’ve always enjoyed cooking for people.”

Genevieve shows Dave a donation of radishes that she’s cut up for sharing in the Anawim Christian Community Kitchen.

Genevieve Cochran has been volunteering with Anawim Christian Community since June of 2012. She donates her time to a majority of programs and services that Anawim provides in Gresham and St. Johns Oregon.

These opportunities to volunteer and work give the homneless a sense of worth and an opportunity to share their gratitude with others. David is one of a dozen or more homeless volunteers Anawim has every week. You could help Anawim continue to provide opportunities like this by making a donation to keep us going.

Photos and Story: Mary Anne Funk