More than food: Horizons’ menu also offers sense of belonging, acceptance of love

QUINCY — It is believed that John Adams, our nation’s second president, said, “The shortest road to men’s hearts is down their throats.” 

Horizons Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen, 224 S. Eighth, is adding a twist to Adams’ thoughts.

“Food is kind of the gateway to life here at Horizons,” said Sarah Stephens, Horizons’ executive director. “Food is what gets people in the door, but once they get inside the door, they find a sense of belonging and acceptance of love. A lot of times when they find those elements of hope, they’ll find a renewed interest in life.”

Horizons’ biggest fundraiser, “Hope for Horizons,” is scheduled for May 6 at Quincy Country Club. This informal gathering celebrates the impact Horizons has on our community.

Father James Derbyshire of St. John’s Parish founded Horizons at 701 Hampshire in 2009. What started as one church providing one meal a week now has 30 churches participating serving 40,000 meals annually. Approximately 800,000 pounds of food were distributed in 2021.

The soup kitchen is open from noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 to 6 p.m. Sunday. The food pantry is open 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday and 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday.

But at Horizons, it’s more than food.

“We’re trying to get people plugged in working other places, trying to do a lot in the idea of whole health,” Stephens said. “We’re looking at feeding not just physically but feeding mentally and spiritually as well.”

What “fortunate” people view as poverty isn’t poverty for people down on their luck. 

“If you ask the average person to describe what poverty is, they will tell you it’s a lack of material things,” Stephens said. “If you ask someone in poverty to define poverty, they’ll use words more like shame and a feeling of inadequacy.”

Stephens sees herself in the people who walk through Horizons’ door. 

“We’re all one tragedy away from the soup kitchen, depending on how big our safety net is,” she said. “A lot of times when you find out what people’s stories are, I find myself wondering, ‘Would I be here? What if I had had the same things happen to me?’”

The services Horizons offers continue to grow. Horizons has a “Faith in Fitness” class, a “Faith in Finance” class, an Addicts Victorious program and faith-based trauma healing. They have partnered with Transitions to provide a “living room” — a place to gather and maybe escape for a few moments.

“When you give people an environment where they can feel safe, they can feel loved,” Stephens said.

The food Horizons serves should be getting much better. Stephens said a woman, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef who had been homeless and coming to Horizons to eat, was recently hired as a full-time cook. 

“Now one of her greatest joys is getting to cook for her homeless friends,” Stephens said.