SPOKANE, Wash. – When owner Michael Brown opened the doors to Fresh Soul at around 9:30 on Thanksgiving morning, the crowd rejoiced. A line, forming all the way down the block, had been patiently waiting for some soul food, some winter clothes and an early holiday gift.
“260 people will also get $100 cash,” Brown said.
Fresh Soul opened six years ago in the heart of Spokane’s East Central neighborhood as a non-profit restaurant, dedicated towards providing job training for 14- to 18-year-olds. This was Brown’s fourth Thanksgiving giveaway, and he says the credit for the idea all comes down to his faith.
“I started off with donating my own five thousand, because I wouldn’t ask someone to do something if I’m not gonna be part of it,” Brown said. “A lot of my donors have stepped up that believe in what we’re doing and want to help. It’s all about helping people because when you can help without the expectation of receiving anything in return then you really know what it is to help and serve and God put us here to serve. What we do here, this is a ministry. This is all God, I can’t take no credit for it.”
After a quick prayer with a staff who had worked for hours to prepare the food and cash, Fresh Soul staff started handing out boxes filled with ribs, fried chicken, cornbread and potato salad, topped with an envelope containing $100. When they ran out of food, Brown handed the remaining cash envelopes to Mayor Nadine Woodward, who personally handed out the rest.
“It’s very nice to be helping someone,” 15-year-old Fresh Soul worker Allison Justus said. “When you’re at that point (where some of the recipients are) it’s just very hard to do a lot of things.”
