ALTAMONTE SPRINGS | At the Soup Bowl Supper’s annual fundraiser held at St. Mary Magdalen Parish Oct. 15, gratitude for donations is reciprocated by a fare of soups from 16 different area restaurants and a free handcrafted pottery bowl.
Benefitting Catholic Charities of Central Florida’s Pathways to Care, a rehabilitation facility for homeless men and women, Soup Bowl Supper brings together parishioners and leaders from different parishes and non-Catholic churches. Among this year’s dignitaries and clergy serving soup were Bishop John Noonan, Seminole County Commissioner Bob Dallari, Deacon Jim Feruzzi, and Msgr. John Bluett, who founded Pathways to Care.
Resident Calvin Moses shared his testimony of a tumultuous life of bad decisions, leading him to drug addiction, couch surfing and prison. Last year, after being diagnosed with Stage 2 colon cancer, he had surgery and had nowhere to go for a safe recovery. Enter Pathways to Care.
“Greeted with open arms by the staff, Pathways became home to me very quickly,” he said, crediting them with finding new friends and reconnecting with his family.
He said Pathways allowed him to turn his life around after being “stuck in a seemingly endless cycle.”
“Never being able to save money because I was preoccupied with trying to fund my addiction,” he added. “I just needed help and support and I got that and so much more at Pathways to Care. The people made me feel like I was worth something and I could count on them to be there for support.” Today he is in their Step 2 Program leading to independent living, while working toward a degree and working during the day.
By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, October 21, 2022