Love Fellowship Outreach Ministries Service Kentwood and Surrounding Areas

Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr

Helping others in need is what Love Fellowship Outreach Ministries does. Pastor Mathew Ware spent several weeks collecting food, clothes, and other items to drive nine and a half hours to service the needy in the Town of Kentwood, the Village of Tangipahoa, Fluker, Natalbany, Amite, Louisiana. Love Fellowship Outreach Ministries has partnership with Gathering of Hearts to service people in the Mississippi Delta and now they have across the state line to Louisiana. Traveling with two other pastors, his lovely wife, daughter and nephew.

They have provided furniture, shoe, clothes, toys, food, appliances and other items to people in their own community. But their love and support had no boundaries. They brought enough supplies to service over a hundred and sixty people in all communities combined. Although he and his ministries had help Gathering of Hearts for several years, this is the first time that the volunteers and ministries met Harrell, the co-founder of Gathering of Hearts.

Pastor Ware and Pastor Walter Tyrone. 

In the Town of Kentwood, he was greeted by Gathering of Hearts, Mayor Irma T. Gordon, Councilwoman Irma Clines, and Lemmie Chapman III, Constable of Ward 1. The people made a line and picked up their items with smiles and appreciation written on their faces. Everyone was mindful to take only enough supplies for themselves and leave some for others.

Kentwood was the first stop. They then traveled to the Village of Tangipahoa and gave out donations their. Mayor Brenda Nevels and Parish Councilman Nick Joseph greeted the ministries. Everyone was very pleased with the donations they received. After leaving the Village of Tangiphaoa they loaded truck once again to services St.Helena Parish, with bags left over for Maben, Mississippi.

Other partners helped with making this give away a success. We would like to thank the Tangi Democrats for their support and kindness render as well. Harrell has been invited to come and speak to their ministries on poverty in Granite City, Illinois.

Gathering of Hearts would like to thank Doris Lloyd for service the Tickfaw/Natalbany community and Glynis Vernon Gordon for servicing Amite, Louisiana. This is what outreach is all about helping others in your community.

Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr,

Emory University Student Visit the Town of Kentwood, Louisiana

A Reading Corner setup at Ebony Beauty
Supply in Kentwood, LA

Over the past three days, I have visited the communities of Roseland, Fluker, and Tangipahoa and seen first-hand the rampant poverty that affects the people who live there each and every day,"said Schoderbek. The towns are sparsely populated, and the majority of the residents lack the necessary skills for employment. The rural nature of these communities presents a serious challenge in providing them with the necessary services for community enrichment. Though the issues these areas face are extensive and deep-rooted, William is confident that with the ingenuity of creative minds, solutions can be developed to solve these problems.

While attending Bellarmine College Preparatory School in San Jose, CA., Schoderbek organized two immersion trips to the Mississippi Delta. Giving out books, clothes, gardening, assisting with setting up a Reading Center in Webb, Ms., Schoderbek, along with nine other students and two instructors joined Gathering of Hearts volunteers and co-founder Antoinette Harrell to help serve those in need. This year the students will travel to Louisiana to do immersion work in Tangipahoa Parish with great focus on the north end of the parish.

Customer at Ebony Beauty Supply borrowing a book

Once he arrived in Kentwood, Louisiana he provided tutoring to students on how to apply for scholarships, look for a university to attend. While answering all the questions for students who attend High School in Tangipahoa School District. He also assist Harrell in setting up a reading corner in Ebony Beauty Supply in Kentwood, Louisiana. The next day school supplies were donated to both O.W. Dillion Elementary School and Kentwood Magnet High School.

William enjoy giving back to the community. He understand how important it is to have community enrichment resources for the youth and the community. There isn't one community resource center on the north end of the parish. After school programs and summer enrichment programs can be the road map to help students in the community achieve their goals. Williams in now a student at Emory University in Georgia. However, he left a legacy at Bellarmine College Preparatory School.

Rochell Bates, Principal of Kentwood Magnet High School
receiving donations from Gathering of Hearts and William.

"I'm more than show I'll visit Tangipahoa Parish again," he said with a smile. I was delighted to hear that he wanted to return.
Through social media William can see the work that the student will do this year in Tangipahoa Parish.

Although William will not be join the group this year, I know he will do something this summer to help someone else.

Student from Kentwood, Louisiana Travel International

Damarious Ard

Kentwood, La- It seem like it was just yesterday that Damarious Ard graduated from Kentwood High School. Upon his graduation from Kentwood High School class of  2011, he knew that he wanted to attend a community college for culinary arts.

Damarious enrolled in Northshore Technical Community College in Hammond, La.,  He will be graduating with the class of 2016. Ard was determined to work and finish his  community college classes. It has been said that hard work will pay off.

He will travel to Portugal, Spain and Morocco, Africa.  Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. Its oceanside influences lots of great tasting grilled dishes, music, and cultural experiences. Morocco, a North African country border in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Traveling with six other students and his culinary arts instructor. Ard will attend a cooking class in Madrid. The group will depart New Orleans this week. They'll be joined  by a group of eight people from Bilbao.

In Portugal, they will be immerse in Spanish culture. The group will taste a lot of delicious foods. There are over one hundred different types of cheese in Spain. To name a few; Gazacho, Salmorejo, Manchego, Croquetas. "We can't forget the Spanish Wine!' Now, that he is the legal age to taste some of the fine tasting wines that Spain has to offer I know he will enjoy.

Chef Ard preparing or Hors d'oeurves

Words can't express how proud I am of Damarious. When we first moved to Kentwood my son Bernard made friends with Damarious, Averi, Daniel, Roy, Anthony and Al.  Today they're all men and they are following their dreams.  They're very respectful young men that we can be proud of.

I got a chance to taste some of Chef Ard cooking at the political campaign for Tangiphaoa Parish President Robby Miller this past year. "You talk about finger licking good, oh boy!" everybody went back for seconds.

Thank you Damarious for sharing your dreams, goals and admiration for the culinary arts with me.  Please take plenty photographs to share with everyone at home. We would like to hear you speak about your trip and your career at the local libraries and Kentwood High School this coming fall.

I know you'll have so much to share and talk about. This is an awesome opportunity for you to experience traveling to other country. Its great to hear that you didn't allow others to persuade you not to go. Spread your wings and fly and like an eagle. Its a big world for you to explore, new people to meet, taste new foods. This is only the beginning for you and there are better things on the way.

Most importantly thank you for allowing me to be on of  your mentors. Traveling and learning his is part of your educational path that extends nationally and internationally.

Wishing you all the best!






Copyright © 2016 by Antoinette Harrell