Co-Founders
Mission/Vision
Grace and Bread exists to show grace and share bread – serving our neighbors in practical ways and pointing people toward the love of Jesus.
Founded in December 2022, Grace and Bread began out of a risky and spontaneous adventure by a few people wanting to help their neighbors on the street, with the intention of showing grace and offering the bread of life. Our co-founders, Michael Karel and Ryan Parish, first met while serving the same community with another non-profit in December 2017, and have been working together in outreach ever since. Grace and Bread’s vision is to build relationships, restore the broken, support change, while sharing the love of God with others.
“And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
- Matthew 10:38-39
Core Values
- We do this as an act of reciprocation.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
- We have been shown mercy, so we offer mercy.
- Matthew 5:7 | James 2:13
- We are blessed to be a blessing.
- Genesis 12:1-3 | Matthew 5:3-12
Our Approach
Grace and Bread gathers every Wednesday night in The Heights, Nutbush, and Jackson Park neighborhoods, providing food and fellowship to our neighbors who are wandering. This is done in partnership with families, community organizations, and local businesses.
Anyone can provide a Wednesday meal through our Meal Train.
“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
- Matthew 25:40