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Administrative Offices
Christian ServiceCenter for CentralFlorida, Inc.
808 W. Central Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32805
407 425-2523
E-mail:
Marketing

Executive Director
Robert F. Stuart

Outreach Editor
Greg Gentleman

2007 Officers and
Board of Directors

From the Director. . . .

Let me share with you a short but very important story..

Two men, each flying back from California, meet on an airplane.  After pleasantries are exchanged, the conversation turns to the needs of our community.  One of the men, a local pastor, shares about a soup kitchen just starting up in downtown Orlando.  He tells about a group of local members from St. James Cathedral who decided to express their faith during the Easter Season by serving a meal to men and women who were hungry.  He then told how the demand had grown far beyond the ability of St. James to continue shouldering this burden alone.

He also tells of a new group, organized by local churches, that had been helping people with finances, pantry items and clothing as an outreach in downtown Orlando. He continues to express his concern that what has started out as a wonderful ministry might die if the community can't muster the support to help their own.

The other man, a local restaurateur shares his heart, too.  He tells of a time when he was hungry and someone helped him.  He is also reminded of the covenant that he made with God to someday repay this act of kindness.

Now each man sits at crossroads and a pivotal moment in his life, 30,000 feet in the air.

Within a few weeks, Daily Bread was formally organized and sponsored with food from one of Orlando's most prestigious restaurants.  Churches supplied their own members to help serve one week each year.  Staff was funded to help organize this task.  And, lives were touched ... one meal at a time.  Within just 9 years, more than 900,000 meals were served by Daily Bread.

The two men on the airplane are Dr. Howard Chadwick, Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando and the restaurateur Champ Williams, owner of Skyline Restaurants.

Now, we are celebrating 25 years of ministry!  What started out as an opportunity just to help has grown into three locations serving more than 500 meals each weekday!  Just last year, we celebrated the serving of our 2,000,000th meal - now we celebrate another milestone representing the countless lives that have been touched.

Where would we be without the leadership of Dr. Howard Chadwick, Champ Williams, Jr., David Page, "Parky" Parkhouse, Rev. James Blount, Mrs. Leona Brown and the hundreds of churches who have provided their love and support of this vital ministry.

On behalf of those we serve, thank you.  It means so much to have a good meal and a warm smile at a time of need.  On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Christian Service Center, please accept our most sincere thanks to all of you who have helped serve faithfully for 25 years.

Come celebrate with us.  On Thursday evening, May 11, the Center will be hosting a Celebration Dinner in honor of this milestone.  Please invite your church and your friends to be a part of this special event (see below for more details). 

Join us and celebrate 25 years of ministry .. together!

Hundreds Attend Street Celebration

Daily Bread invited its clients to celebrate its 25th Anniversary by holding a "Street Celebration" on Wednesday April 5th.  Over 700 guests attended the event.

With the help of many sponsors, including Publix Super Market Charities, SunTrust, Colonial Bank, Merita Bread Bakery Workers (Local 103), Hood Tents, Trammel Crow, MPInet, the Charles Bailes Family, Eller Media, The Sign Factory, Mercury Printing, Shirley Mountz, Richard Messier, and others, the event was able to offer free hotdogs, hamburgers, soft drinks and more to all who attended.  The Orlando Magic Fan Van was on site as well as musical entertainment by musician Paul Vernon. In addition, the Orange County Health Department offered free TB testing.

Long Time Employee Retires
By Robert Stuart, Executive Director

As I reflect on more than 24 years of service by Shirley Swint, we can truly say that this place would not exist today without her involvement.  Shirley, more than any single person I know, has been influential in almost every portion of our ministry in Central Florida.  Her commitment to God's leadership in her life and His calling to be part of the Center is central to her life.

Since her start as a volunteer with Meals on Wheels, she has done it all from accounting to assisting the Executive Director, to grant writing, to coordinating Hotel Ministry, to running our thrift stores, and finally to her leadership as Director of Volunteer Services.  Shirley has always acted with the best interest of the Center and our clients in mind.  Besides wearing many hats, she has served under at least four executive directors, 20 presidents, hundreds of board members and staff and thousands of valuable volunteers.  Most recently, she has taken on the leadership of our senior employment placement program.  While working with this government agency, she has acquired for the Center countless volunteer hours paid for through a federal training grant.

There are so many good things we could say about Shirley, but to sum it up with just one statement - Shirley would support the Center in any way requested of her.  Her aim, as an example for all of us to follow, was to keep Christ at the Center of everything we are and do.

Shirley, we love you and we miss you.

Daily Bread Anniversary Dinner to be Held

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Daily Bread, the Center will hold a Celebration Dinner on Thursday, May I I 11th at First Baptist Church of Orlando.  A reception will begin at 6:15 p.m. with the program following at 7:00 p.m.

The program will honor volunteers and supporters who have promoted the program over the past 25 years.  Invited guest speakers include Dr. Howard Edington, Senior Minister at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, and Dr. Richard D. Baxley, founder of the Healthcare for the Homeless.

Edington serves on the boards of the Outreach Foundation (the mission arm of the Presbyterian denomination) and the Montreat College Board of Trustees.  Edington is also a published author; his latest book, The Forgotten Man of Christmas, was published in November 1999.

Baxley was awarded the 1994 Presidential Volunteer Action Award by the National Points of Light Foundation.  This year, Baxley was named a "Top 10" finalist as Family Physician of the Year by the American Academy of Family Physicians.