For more than 15 years, members of Mountain Christian Church have been a steady presence at Harford Family House, serving meals, offering kindness, and sharing joy with the residents of the HFH Emergency Shelter. Their partnership dates back to the early days of the shelter, when volunteers from Mountain helped with transportation by driving the bus and shuttle.
Meal service quickly became the heart of Mountain’s ministry at Harford Family House. “Food is a great way to connect with people,” Pat Wachter shared. “At the time I was working, and lunch was something I could do. I’m very blessed, and this was a small way to serve.”
Over the years, the team has not only cooked and served meals but also painted apartments and helped create a welcoming environment for residents. “All the dinner groups bring a spirit of joy and the desire to make that moment special for each resident,” she said. “Our group is dedicated to serving dinners once a month—and now we’re picking up another night to serve our brothers and sisters at the adult shelter.”
Some of the most meaningful moments come from simple, genuine connections. “Not too long ago, my husband and I were cooking dinner, and I was goofing around with one of the residents,” she remembered. “It was so nice to banter back and forth. He was respectful, and I had so much fun.”
What keeps them coming back month after month is the gratitude and community they experience in the kitchen. “The residents are so grateful we come. They know we have other places to be, yet we choose to be here. Circumstances that brought them to this place in life are laid down at dinner—we’re cooking for family.”
For Mountain Christian Church, service is more than a volunteer opportunity—it’s a calling.
“As children of God, we are asked and expected to love God, love people, and serve the world,” she said. “The program at Harford Family House Emergency Shelter is doing great things for adults who are less fortunate than me. I’ve seen it firsthand and believe in that mission.”
With renewed energy and new volunteers stepping forward, Mountain Christian Church continues to embody faith in action—one meal, one smile, and one act of love at a time.