Kids, Kids Kids!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

When most people think of the homeless they think of adult men and women. When I think of the homeless I think of adult men, women, AND children. Oh yes, there are many homeless children out there! In the Dallas area alone we have more than 1,200 homeless children. How do we know that? We know because these are children that are living in local homeless shelters and we can physically count them.

However we also know there are hundreds more out there that are NOT being counted. Children that have fallen through the cracks and have no place to call home. Children that have no hope and a future that looks very bleak. There are many fine charities in Dallas that are trying to address this issue. The SoupMobile feels blessed to be one of those charities.

The SoupMobile was founded in 2003 as a ‘mobile’ soupkitchen that now serves more than 200,000 meals per year to the homeless in the Dallas area. In 2009 we decided to expand our mission to also include sheltering homeless men, women and YES -- Children! When we made this decision we actually ran into some opposition. Some people told us that sheltering the homeless was risky business. They went on to say that the SoupMobile should stick to what it knows best -- Feeding the homeless.

Nonetheless we stuck to our decision and in October of 2009 opened our first group home for the homeless. Last week on May 18th we celebrated the Grand Opening of our 6th group home. In just over 2 & ½ years we have opened 6 homes for homeless men, women, and children. An amazing feat to be sure, but only amazing because we serve an amazing God who paved the way for it all to happen.

At the May 18th Grand Opening two of the children from our housing program cut the Red Ribbon.
Both children came to us about a year ago. They had no adequate housing and had literally been out of school for one full year. They had fallen thru the cracks and their future did not look bright. After a year in our program it’s a whole new ball game. They have a safe, warm place to lay their head down every night. They are doing great in school and they have something we all need -- Hope!

I’ve spent the last 9 years as Executive Director of the SoupMobile serving the homeless. I count it as a deep privilege that God lets me do what I do. And as long as the Lord lets me put one foot in front of another, we will continue this mission of reaching out to the ones Jesus calls the ‘least of these.’ I will candidly admit that while my job is highly rewarding and a true labor of love, it’s not always sugar and spice. As in any job, issues, problems, and hurdles do occur. However, success stories like these two children make it all worthwhile.

We’ve had a lot of wonderful success with the adult men and women in our housing program and for that I’m most grateful. Having success with the children is the icing on the cake. And make no mistake, the success of our housing program is not because of me. I am only one small piece of the puzzle. It takes an army of supporters, donors, volunteers, and prayer warriors to make something like this happen. More important it takes a loving God who is alive and well and parts the Red Seas for the SoupMobile time and again. My grateful thanks to you all for your part in the SoupMobile housing program. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I know the kids do, too!

May the Lord Bless & Keep You & Yours,

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Puppy set on fire!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Today's blog is not about the homeless. It's about a puppy. If you've been following the news in Dallas recently you've heard how a group of young men set a little puppy on fire and then laughed hilariously as the terrified puppy ran for safety.

For the last week animal rescue people and veterinarians have worked feverishly to save the life of the puppy they named Justice. Unfortunately the puppy died. The vet said that at the end, as she was with the puppy, he was still trying to wag his tail as he drew his last breath. I don't know about you but this just rips my heart out. And to be truthful my blood boils just a bit as I think of the cruelty of the young men who set the dog on fire.

What kind of people would set a dog on fire and then laugh hysterically as the puppy ran for his life? What kind of people could stoop to this level of depravity? Hard questions, to be sure. I think an appropriate question is how important is one puppy's life in the grand scheme of life? After all, human beings are dying every day.

Am I saying a puppy’s life is more important than a human being’s? Not exactly. What I am saying is that how we treat animals is a sign of the human condition. The Bible says that God created us in his image and likeness. I know beyond any doubt that God is not smiling about young men setting a puppy on fire. By any measure, what they did was savage and heartless.

So now the question is, where do we go from here? Can any good come out of this unspeakable act? Perhaps it can. A $25,000 reward has already been put up by the SPCA through Crime Stoppers to bring the men involved to justice. Basically they are seeking justice for a puppy name Justice. And while an element of vengeance may be a motivating factor, that's really not what this is all about. It's really about accountability. As a society we need to send a message out loud and clear that this kind of behavior is not okay.

Mistreatment of animals is not right, it’s not something to be laughed about, and most important, it’s not to be tolerated. Bringing these young men to justice will not bring the puppy back but perhaps it will save the lives of puppies down the road. On a deeper level perhaps bringing them to justice for killing a puppy may prevent them from doing something worse down the line.

At the SoupMobile we are not new to this issue of caring for animals. My wife Shana is a longtime animal activist and leads a team at the SoupMobile that feeds the dogs that belong to the homeless people we serve. Yes, the homeless have dogs as pets just like you and I do. And for a homeless person who has nothing, a faithful dog can be everything!

We are not seeking vengeance but we are seeking accountability. More important, we are praying that the message will go out loud and clear that cruelty to animals is not a laughing matter.

p.s. Breaking News! 18 year old Dallas man accused of setting Justice the puppy on fire has turned himself in to police and is being held on bail of $100,000 at Dallas County Jail.

May the Lord Bless & Keep You & Yours,

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Tornadoes Hit Dallas Area Hard!!!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

The late comic George Carlin once said "Weather report for tonight -- Dark." He meant it as a joke but what happened with the weather in Dallas recently was no laughing matter.

On Tuesday April 3rd, the Dallas area was hit hard by 12 tornadoes. In a heartbeat cars were tossed in the air, homes were destroyed, and thousands of people were left homeless. The tornadoes did not discriminate. Rich, poor, and middle class alike were all touched by the path of the storms. There were a large number of injuries and many people had to be taken to the hospital. Only by God's grace were their no deaths.

When the storms hit, the SoupMobile's Emergency Response Team (ERT) leaped into action. If you haven't heard about our ERT, let me get you up to speed. Recently generous donors of the SoupMobile donated the funds we needed to purchase a used ambulance. Much like Red Cross vehicles, we have converted the ambulance into a emergency response vehicle.
It's loaded with food, blankets, toiletries, drinks, and even Teddy Bears for children displaced in emergencies. More important, it's loaded with lots of love -- specifically the Love that Jesus asked us all to spread throughout the world.

Virtually on a moment's notice, the SoupMobile Emergency Response Team can spring into action to help the victims of natural disasters in the Dallas area. However, we understand that we are just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to disaster relief. Organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, World Vision and many more like them bring years of experience to the table. What it all comes down to are the words that Hillary Clinton once said - "It takes a Village." Indeed it takes a Village of relief organizations, donors and volunteers to help those in need. At the SoupMobile we feel privileged that God allows us to be part of this relief mission in addition to our regular missions of 'Feeding & Sheltering' the homeless.

Please join us as we continue to help and pray for the victims of these most recent tornadoes. They are precious children of the Lord most high and we will all continue to reach out to them with help, caring, compassion and love.

To learn more about the SoupMobile and be part of our fabulous SoupTeam, go to www.soupmobile.org.

May the Lord Bless & Keep You & Yours,

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

The 'J' Man!!!

Dear SoupFriends,

Nine years ago 'I' got an idea! In truth, it was God's idea and he was kind enough to pass it on to me. The idea was to start a mobile soup kitchen called the SoupMobile.

By any measure, what's happened at the SoupMobile the last 9 years has been nothing short of phenomenal. From our humble beginnings in 2003 we have come light years. That first year we served 5,000 meals and at the time we thought it was a lot. Now we serve more than 200,000 hot, hearty, and healthy meals each year.

Guess what? Food service is now just the tip of the iceberg. In 2005 we started our CELEBRATE JESUS CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA in which we take 500 homeless men, women, and children off the streets of Dallas and put them up at a fancy hotel for Christmas.

Guess what again? In late 2009 we added another new venture called SOUPMOBILE VILLAGE. A homeless group housing program designed to take a homeless man or woman right off the streets, clean them up, get them a job, and eventually return them as working productive members of the community. It's a 'Hand Up', not a 'Hand Out'. In less than 2 & 1/2 years we now have 6 fully operational group homes in the Village.

Could there be more? You betcha! In 2010 we started our FEED the NEIGHBORHOOD program. Every week we pass out tons of food and dry goods to non-homeless families that live in South Dallas. They may have a roof over their heads, but we know their cupboards are bare.

Wow! For a charity that receives NO Federal, State, or City funding, and has NO deep pocket donor, and is NOT under the umbrellas of any church or other organization we have come a long way. Who gets the credit for this absolutely astounding growth? Drum roll, please!!! Yes, it's....................

Oh yeah, it's that unconventional guy from 2,000 years ago. I call him the 'J' Man. He's totally cool and know's how to get things done. Most of you know him as Jesus, but I fondly call him the 'J' Man.

Yes, the 'J' Man that turned water into wine, walked on the water,preached forgiveness, spoke of a loving God, healed the sick, raised people from the dead, and then himself rose from the dead after 3 days.

Nine years ago 'I' got an idea to start the SoupMobile. But make no mistake about it, this idea was from the 'J' Man. I am deeply humbled that he passed it on to me. Even more humbling, it's been HIM that's made it all happen at the SoupMobile these last 9 years. HE is the driving force behind what we do. Some people think that 'I' as Executive Director lead the SoupMobile. Not by a longshot! The 'J' Man leads and we follow.

Its been 9 fabulous, astounding and amazing years at the SoupMobile with the 'J' Man leading the way. What does the 'J' Man have in store the next 9 years? Hard to say, but maybe stuff like SoupMobile DINER and the SoupMobile THRIFT STORE and so much more! This much I know for sure. The best way 'I' can lead the SoupMobile is by letting the 'J' Man lead me.

May the Lord Bless & Keep You & Yours,

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Dear SoupFriends,

Do you remember Gomer Pyle from the old Andy Griffith Show? He was the mechanic at Wally’s Filling Station and famous for saying, Surprise, Surprise, Surprise when something amazing happened.

I can now truly say I know how Gomer felt. On January 24, 2012 I got surprised by something I never saw coming. Lon Ricker, the Chairman of our Christmas event and I were meeting with top Hyatt officials to sign the contract for our 8th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas Event on December 24—25th, 2012. Much to our surprise the Hyatt informed us that we would not be coming back. They explained that they are doing some remodeling and rooms could not be guaranteed. After 7 straight consecutive years of going to the Hyatt at Christmas, it was over in little more than the blink of an eye.

Was I surprised? Oh yeah, I was. But once the surprise wore off a heavy sadness overtook me. 2,000 years ago there was ‘No Room at the Inn’ for baby Jesus. And now in 2012 because of a little remodeling 500 homeless men, women and children would have ‘No Room at the Inn.’

A few of you may be thinking ‘no big deal’, just pick up the phone and call another hotel and make reservations for Christmas 2012. Unfortunately it’s not as easy as picking up the phone and calling another hotel and making a reservation. After all we are talking about the logistics of housing and dealing with 500 homeless people and more than 2,000 volunteers. Further complicating matters is that it’s not so easy getting a hotel that will allow 500 homeless people inside its doors---at any price!

Will you help? Can you help the SoupMobile find another World Class Hotel in Dallas that will take in 500 homeless this coming Christmas! Christ was turned away 2,000 years ago. Let’s work together to make sure 500 of his precious children are not turned away December 24—25th, 2012. To help, contact the SoupMan in person, by email david@soupmobile.org or by phone 1-800-375-5022.

With Christ leading the way, let’s find a way to get beyond Surprise, Surprise, Surprise and work out a solution for 500 precious homeless men, women and children---the ones Jesus called the ‘least of these’

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings Serves Homeless

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

The SoupMobile's 7th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas Extravaganza is now over and in the books. We took 500 homeless men and women right off the streets of Dallas and put them up at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel for Christmas. They all received new clothes, fabulous gifts, lots of love, and we held a huge banquet for them and in their honor. Most important is that when they awoke on Christmas morning it was in a warm safe bed at the Hyatt, NOT in a cardboard box under some bridge.

More than 2,000 volunteers from the community came to the Hyatt and helped us with the event. The world famous Vocal Majority Chorus came (pro-bono) and performed for our homeless guests at the mega-banquet. The Hyatt Regency put on extra staff to make sure our homeless guests got the very best of service. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings came to the banquet in his tuxedo, rolled up his sleeves, and served the top of the line food to our homeless guests.

Here are some of the comments from the event:

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said: "They (the homeless) have given me the best Christmas I could ever have had."

Volunteer Cheron A. said: "OMG, OMG, I cried!!! This will be an event that I will never forget as long as I live."

Volunteer Shana T. said: "It was the most memorable event ever."

Homeless man Richard said: "Thank you SoupMan for caring about me."

Homeless child Morgana said when she got a giant Teddy Bear as a gift: "Thank you Santa."

The SoupMan said: "Our homeless guests didn't just receive great gifts and a wonderful stay at the Hyatt - they also received a huge infusion of love, caring, and compassion."

Yes, our 7th Annual event is over and we've already started planning for the 8th Annual event for December 24--25th, 2012. You won't want to miss it. Meanwhile remember that homeless issues are year-round. Please remember to support your favorite homeless charity throughout the year with both your volunteer time and your financial support.

2,000 years ago Jesus said "Feed MY Sheep.' It was NOT a suggestion. It was a call to action. Please give prayerful consideration to joining with the SoupMan and his fabulous SoupTeam as 'together' we go about our Father's business. More details about partnering with the SoupMobile can be found at www.soupmobile.org.

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

p.s. Remember, you still have time to make a Tax Deductible Donation to the SoupMobile by Dec. 31st. Won't you please give this prayerful consideration. http://soupmobile.org/donatenow.php

Cowardly Men Abuse Homeless Woman

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I bring you the following story. It's a story about a homeless woman who goes by the street name 'Susie.' She was recently abused and degraded in a horrific incident at a local Dallas barbershop. Cowardly men shaved her head and eyebrows and tormented her.

The incident was captured on video and has gone viral on the Internet. This homeless woman was made sport of by the men in the barber shop. They treated her with the utmost disrespect and were cruel in both their actions and comments that were heard on the video.

The SoupMobile has had search teams looking for Susie for the past several days. We also have an 'investigator' who has extensive experience finding homeless people out searching for Susie. Our goal is to find her and bring her in from the cold.

Susie's story may be the tip of the iceberg. Over the past several years, stories and videos of gangs of thugs assaulting homeless people have become only too common. It's a hard, dirty, and difficult life if you are homeless. It's even worse if you have to fear for your safety every day. If you are a homeless man, life is extremely difficult, but if you are a homeless woman, life is almost impossible.

I shouldn't have to say this, but it's NOT okay to abuse homeless people either verbally or physically. They are not sub-human and they are not deserving of abuse. The vast majority of the homeless are good decent people. Yes, they are down on their luck, but decent people. These are real live human beings with feelings, hopes, dreams, and a desire to get out of homelessness.

The men in the barbershop that abused Susie are NOT men. They are cowards. Real men do not abuse women---homeless or otherwise. Real men do not make sport of abusing women. Real men do not degrade any homeless person. Yes, the men in the video are cowards.

So what can we do about this problem? Frankly there are no easy answers. As horrific as the Susie story is, we were lucky it was captured on video. We have a chance to find Susie and help her. We may also be able to bring the perpetrators to justice. Unfortunately, there is much abuse of the homeless that goes unreported. You can help by reporting any suspected abuse of the homeless to the authorities.

There is another way you can help. Christmas is just around the corner. Let this Christmas season be a time that you reach out in love and kindness to a homeless person. Maybe you volunteer at a charity that works with homeless people. Maybe you make a donation to a homeless cause. Maybe you pray for the homeless. Whatever you do, please know that homeless people need our help. I pray for a day when Susie stories will be a thing of the past. Let's all do our part to help make that prayer become a reality.

p.s. This video from Channel 11 is about the Susie story. Fair warning that some of the incidents in the video may make it difficult to watch.



May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan