Many Reasons, One Community

“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2)

I often think of my own grandmother when I think about the neighbors who walk through our doors each week. My grandmother is a widow. She doesn't drive and lives alone on a fixed income. She doesn't always understand her health conditions or the medications she takes. Her “groceries” often come from Dollar General, and her pantry is filled with canned goods that expired years ago, some of which she still eats. If she didn't live so far away, I know that Living Stones would be exactly the kind of place where she could find support for all of those needs.



She would have a place where people know her name. A place where she could meet people, make friends, and sit down to dinner with others each week. She would have a meal that offers more than calories. She would have access to a Community Health Worker who could help her navigate the complicated medical side of her life. She would have people checking in on her. Most importantly, she wouldn't be alone.

That is the kind of space Living Stones strives to be.



Yes, there is food. Yes, there are free clothes and haircuts. But there is also friendship and connection. There is prayer and encouragement. There is assistance, dignity, laughter, and holistic care. There is a place to sit and someone willing to sit beside you. It is so much more than a meal.

And then there are our volunteers.

We have more than 200 active volunteers, each with their own story and their own reason for showing up. Our volunteers check in on our neighbors, but they also check in on one another. Over time, something beautiful has grown among us. A sense of connection. A sense of family. A sense that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

Some come because they want to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Some come because they want to teach their children what it looks like to serve others. Some come because they are looking for connection. Some come because they simply want to make a difference.

And many find something they didn't know they were looking for.

When I look around a full Living Stones dining room, I see people who are serving and people who are being served. But the longer I am here, the more I realize that those lines are not always as clear as we might think. Every person in that room has a story. Every person has a need. Every person has something to give. And somehow, around these tables, we find pieces of what we are all searching for.

I think that's because Living Stones was never meant to be just a food ministry.

It was born from a call from God, and we strive to keep God at the center of everything we do. We believe in caring for the whole person, not just meeting an immediate need.

So we don't just rescue food. We don't just feed people. We don't just give away clothes or offer free haircuts. We sit. We listen. We pray. We show up outside of our meals.

We write cards. We check in. We celebrate. We mourn. We connect. We help each other. We learn. We grow. We make room at the table.

Because sometimes what someone needs most isn't another meal. Sometimes they need someone to notice that they haven't been there. Sometimes they need a friend. Sometimes they need prayer. Sometimes they need help navigating a difficult season. Sometimes they simply need to know that they matter.

At Living Stones, we believe there is room for all of it. There is room for the neighbor who comes hungry. There is room for the volunteer who comes searching for purpose. There is room for the person who needs help and the person who needs to be needed. There is room for joy and for grief, for serving and for receiving, for learning and for growing. There is room for everyone at the table. And I think that's why this place feels so different. Because at its heart, Living Stones is about more than what we put on a plate. It is about what happens when people come together, when we see one another, care for one another, and remind one another that no one has to walk through life alone.

We are all here for a reason. And around these tables, we are watching those reasons unfold.

Come to the Table

First Sunday of Every Month

Mary, Queen of Peace Parish--South Side

81 S. 13th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Second Sunday of every month

Brentwood Presbyterian Church

3725 Brownsville Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15227

Third Sunday of every month

North Way Christian Community Church

2865 Espy Avenue, Dormont, PA 15216

Across from Potomac Avenue T stop



Last Sunday of every month

Fairhaven United Methodist Church

2415 Saw Mill Run Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15234

To support the work we do, simply click the donate button, scan the QR code below, or make a check payable to Living Stones and mail it to

Living Stones, PO Box 13077, Pittsburgh, PA 15243

Thank you!

Living Stones fosters the cultivation of relationships with neighbors who join us for meals. As relationships develop and deepen, Living Stones volunteers come alongside those individuals and families to assist them in navigating the challenges in their lives and encourage them to find hope in Christ as they learn to trust Him.

"Won't you be my neighbor?"

Fred Rogers