Moss Bros. Volunteers To Run Barbeque for the Homeless on June 12

Online, June 1, 2010 (Newswire.com) - There is no shortage of volunteers at Moss Bros. Auto Group!

And on June 12, those volunteers will be serving a BBQ luncheon for 150 homeless people, 85 of whom are children, at the Path of Life Ministries Transitional Housing Program on March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, CA.

The homeless there are living in what had been a three-story barracks, called King Hall.

"These are whole families, or single moms with children who are homeless because of the economy, or spouse abuse, or in a few cases, drug abuse. They are local people from Riverside, San Bernardino and Moreno Valley. For the most part they are middle-class families whose lives took a rough turn because of circumstances - like a job loss, or death of a breadwinner," says Rocky Black, Parts Manager at Moss Bros. Toyota in Moreno Valley, CA.

Rocky and his colleague, Wendell Wright, Parts and Services Manager at Moss Bros. Chrysler, Jeep Dodge in Riverside, San Bernardino and Moreno Valley, CA, are organizing the BBQ event and already have nearly a dozen volunteers from Moss Bros. and are welcoming more.

Volunteers who have signed up to help cook or serve at the event, so far, include:

TRACY RUSTIN, BILLY RUSTIN, VIVIAN RUSTIN,JAMES BALL ( THE BRANCH CHURCH), MARY KAY, CARROL WILLIS, KIMBERLY BLACK, JOHN BLUMQUIST, KELLY MOORE, DENITA ANDREWS, and JILL BAILY.

"Some employees have heard about the BBQ and said, 'I can't come myself, but I want to send my teenage kid there to learn how to give back to the community. Or, people say, I want to come and I'm also going to donate some clothes," says Wendell Wright.

"The response we are getting is just fantastic," adds Wright. "Every time someone hears about this project, we keep getting more and more people volunteering. They are calling on a daily basis offering to cook, or serve, or donate clothing."

In fact, anyone who wants to volunteer can contact Rocky or Wendell at the Moss Bros. dealerships at: 951-486-9288.

Rocky and Wendell have the full support of Moss Bros Owner Glenn Moss.

"Glenn is a great guy to work for. He has a big heart. He is a great supporter of many, many charities in the community - the Loma Linda Cancer Society, Ronald McDonalds House and others," says Wendell. "Last year, Glenn donated $250 towards the BBQ and he donated a lot of toys and other items out of the store's inventory. When the employees heard about it, it spread like wildfire and this is the 3rd time we'll be going over to Path of Life to do this."

"Moss Bros. is not just a car dealership, but we are a business in the community that has a genuine concern for the community," says Rocky.

Wendell and Rocky have sought and received commitments from other local businesses, as well, to help support the BBQ, and expect to raise around $1,500. to pay for expenses. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is donating the plastic plates and forks and beverages, and Stater Bros. Markets has also committed to donate food. And, they've also recruited some volunteers from a church in the High Desert.

"A lot of the cash donations will be used to buy toys for the 85 children who will be at the BBQ and who are currently housed, with their parents, in the Path of Life Ministries Housing Program," says Rocky.

Both Rocky and Wendell take their volunteer work very personally. "What we try to do is not just bring the food, but also show genuine concern for the people there. We talk to them and we listen, and what we have learned is amazing," says Rocky.

"With the economy the way it is, a lot of people in this country are only a paycheck or two away from the displacement that these people are experiencing," says Rocky.

Wendell says, "A lot of these families have jobs, but they don't have jobs that pay them enough money to be self sufficient, to support themselves. So, this transitional program helps with job placement and also placing them in homes after they complete the program."

Both Rocky and Wendell have run into old friends and acquaintances who have hit upon hard times and are in the Path of Life program.

"I actually saw one of my Sunday school students that I had taught in my class at church 10 years ago," says Wendell.

Rocky was amazed to find an old friend from high school was among the people in the Path of Life program.

"There's a young lady there right now that I went to high school with. She had gotten married out of high school, and had a good life. Her husband owned his own business, but he died in a car accident. The couple owned back taxes and the IRS took her business and took her home. She had been living in her car, up to about a month ago, when Path of Life took her and her 14-year-old son in."

"I would never have thought that someone I was close to in high school would be there. It shows you that this could happen to anyone," says Rocky.

"A lot of the homeless right now are ordinary people, but certain situations in their life took a wrong turn. Most of them will be getting back on their feet. And we all need to help them do so," says Wendell.

"Rocky and I are both strongly Christ-centered men. Rocky attends Calvary Chapel and I attend Fountain of Truth Worship Center and I'm actually looking to start my own church in the area."

"We take a real common interest in the well being of other people. Many people came up to us while we were there and they made the statement: 'A lot of people drop the food off and leave, but you guys come and you talk to us and mentor us.'"

"It's not just going and doing a good deed, but showing genuine concern about the people and offering them inspiration, and motivation that they can work their way out of the rough situation they are in. That's the difference between serving and showing someone that you care," says Wendell.

Rocky and Wendell are not novices at volunteering. Not only have they already done several BBQ dinners for the displaced families at Path of Life Ministries, but both are also involved in a Regional Occupational Program with local high schools. They mentor and train high school students at the dealership, showing them how to do parts inventory, change a tire, do an oil change, etc.

Rocky got involved with Path of Life two and a half years ago, when his Mother-in-Law -- who first got involved through her church group -- asked Rocky to come to the shelter and cook on a special "guest cook" evening. The experience had a profound effect on Rocky and he started volunteering to cook the first Thursday of every month since that time.

And soon Wendell joined in as well. "A year and a half ago, we mobilized the employees here at Moss Bros. and went out and did our first BBQ for Path of Life."

On June 12, mobilization will start at 7 a.m., when Rocky and Wendell head over to Path of Life's King Hall to start setting up. They'll be slow cooking BBQ ribs and chicken, plus, preparing biscuits, hot links, macaroni and cheese, and salads. For dessert, there will be cookies, cakes and pies. The rest of the volunteers will join them at various intervals during the morning and luncheon will be served at 2 p.m.

While Rocky Black and Wendell Wright take their volunteering seriously, they don't take themselves too seriously, and the banter they generate is part of their charm. Wendell introduces himself as Mr. Right! And Rocky says, jokingly, we're going to start a new BBQ business called Black and White, er Wright?"

Stay tuned to this blog for further announcements about prayer services to be held at the dealership, and about other volunteering opportunities that these two are cooking up!

About the Path of Life Transitional Housing Program:

The Path of Life Transitional Housing Program is a 54 Unit, 142 bed facility located on the campus adjacent to March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, CA. It is an oasis of change for families and single, chronically homeless women desiring to permanently break the cycle of homelessness.

The program accommodates residents for up to 24 months, but residents usually stay an average of 10 to 18 months, with single female adults normally requiring an 8 to 10 month stay. While participating in the program, each adult receives readiness and job placement assistance, personalized budgeting and housing assistance and additional life-skills training from professional Case Management Teams. Individual and group sessions, conducted by these case managers, help residents attain self sufficiency.

For more information on Path of Life Ministries, visit: http://mossbroscommunity.com/profiles/blogs/moss-bros-volunteers-to-run