Baytown Pay It Forward Diner feeds the hungry
“We’ve been homeless, and we’ve gone without. There were so many times that our food budget for every two weeks was $50. So we know what it’s like. We’ve always helped people through outreach, but we knew we could do more. We just didn’t know what that would look like.
“Opening the diner has been a beautiful thing. Someone may walk in crying and say, ‘Is it true? Can I really eat here for free?’ And we’re like, ‘Absolutely.’ It’s because of all the caring people who have paid in advance for others’ meals. Each time, we put a heart up there on the wall. So when someone comes in and needs a blessing, they won’t have to go hungry. We don’t want anyone to feel shame. It’s not until after they’ve eaten and gone that we take down the heart.
“It’s not just for people on the streets. It’s for anybody who’s hungry. For this one family, the woman’s husband works but there’s just not enough. She said, ‘I want to volunteer. I don’t want this for free. I’m not looking for a handout. I’m looking for a hand up.’
The other day, a man came in and said he was hungry. He had $5 in change. I said, ‘You keep it, and order whatever you want.’ He grabbed the money out of his backpack and said, ‘I want y’all to have this as a tip.’ I said, ‘No, sir, keep that. Because you might need it later.’ He wouldn’t let me give it back.
“This whole experience is humbling. It’s so much bigger than Paul and me. Every day my phone blows up with people wanting to be part of this. And we have the most amazing staff. They truly cook and serve with love in their hearts. Every morning before we open, we pray. We want people to know that it’s the lord’s diner, it’s not ours.
“We ask people on the streets to let others know. We don’t want anyone to go hungry. There are so many who come in and are beyond grateful that they get a chance to eat. It’s wonderful to be part of something so amazing.”
— Teresa McCartney Hoffart
(Notes: The Baytown Pay It Forward Diner is no longer open. Also, Paul Hoffart passed away on June 22, 2023.)
