Min. Lydia L. Davis

Min. Lydia L. Davis

You Feed Them Missional Food Pantry

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by Lydia Davis

Lydia L. Davis is originally from the West Calumet Development, a demolished public housing community that was located in East Chicago, Indiana. She is the oldest of five daughters of the late Sharon Davis Johnson and gospel singer Daniel Davis. Lydia was raised in the church and always loved going and serving. As a youth, she matured as a youth ministry leader at St. Mark A.M.E. Zion Church in East Chicago.

In 1982, after Lydia graduated from Bishop Noll Institute, she made her way to California, settling in San Jose, where, along with her then-husband, she raised her twin sons at South Bay Community Church under the Leadership of Emeritus Dr. Stanley B. Long. She later graduated from DeAnza College, transferred to San Jose State University, and received certifications in Marketing, Media, Public Relations, and Communications. Lydia became an Ordained Minister in 2018.

“God was ordering my steps, and He led me to South Bay Community Church in Fremont, California,” Lydia says. She founded and served for 16 years with the Marketing and Communications Group (MarCom Group), which consisted of numerous ministries.

After living in California for 30 years, Lydia moved to Indianapolis. “After pushing through the pain of the trauma of my divorce, I was seeking God for the next chapter in my life. Due to health challenges her mother would face, Lydia found herself living in Indianapolis and has never left. Lydia’s mother was called home on January 21, 2013.

Lydia is a woman who wears many hats. She loves family and is a visionary, advocate, preacher, teacher, servant leader, and trainer. Most importantly, she is a woman of integrity and character, has a gift of discernment, and is known for creating positive ripples throughout communities.

Lydia is a minister at Barnes United Methodist Church, and since January 2019, she has served as a Board Member of Metro Ministries Inc, which is a Central District Outreach organization that connects ministries to resources and resources to ministries. She also serves as the Missional Food Pantry Network Operations Specialist with Faith Hope and Love Community Inc. This missional food pantry training organization aims to catalyze change by engaging in relationship-building with food-insecure neighbors and organizations on the path to self-sufficiency. Over the past seven years, she has helped preach to teach, train, and launch over 15 missional food pantries across churches in Indianapolis, and she is expanding. She is an agent for Legal Shield and has a Blessings Bag Ministry that helps serve her Homeless Neighbors. Two churches partner with Lydia to provide large purses for women and drawstring bags for men filled with toiletries, snacks, winter wear, and emergency devices.

In March 2017, Lydia launched You Feed Them Missional Food Pantry. Then, in 2021, with the partnership support of Zionsville United Methodist Church, it became a nonprofit organization. She also conducts an Back-to-School Community Resource Day, a Youth Savings Initiative, a Christmas Overflow Initiative, and a Mental Health Awareness Initiative.

You Feed Them Missional Food Pantry was founded in 2017 on a vision and inspired by Matthew 14:15-17 NLT “That evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—YOU FEED THEM.”

I’ve experienced my own levels of pain, I’ve experienced being without, I’ve experienced feeling unloved or unheard.

Lydia says, “I was never a recipient of a food pantry, but I remember days as a child my mother struggled to feed my sister and I. I’ve experienced my own levels of pain, I’ve experienced being without, I’ve experienced feeling unloved or unheard. I didn’t realize that those experiences were formulating my life steps.” As of its launch in March 2017, Lydia’s organization has impacted over 24,000 men, women, and children with over 60,000 bags of food, toiletries, and other shared resources. Lydia and her Christ Care Ministers have ministered the gift of salvation to hundreds, having over 565 who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Lydia received the City of Indianapolis Mayoral Proclamation for her You Feed Them Missional Food Pantry in April 2019. She was a recipient of the 2018 Urban Servant Leader Award and the 2018 Mayor’s Community Servant Award, where she was given an engraved brick with her name on it located in downtown Indianapolis in the Mayor’s Circle on the Canal. She also received the 2016 United Methodist Men Servant Leadership Award, a 2016 United Methodist Women Special Mission Recognition Award, a 2014 Calumet Star Achievers Award from East Chicago, Indiana, and other recognitions for Ministry, Impact, and Service.

Besides every award and accolade, Lydia says she loves experiencing God’s love and seeing His provisions being made for others. “I’m careful about establishing precedence, but I have empathy for those living through varying levels of pain. I love it when I can use what I have and share resources and inspiration with others. My mother served the church and the community, and my dad serves his family, his church and shares his gift with those who ask him to sing. I love to serve those striving to push through their own challenges.”

Lydia shares she is inspired by possibilities. She also says, “I am inspired by the positive transformation of lives and by those willing to support and partner with my vision and missions. I am inspired by perseverance, integrity, character, respect, and sacrifices of service.” Lydia also credits her two bonus moms, Theodora “Snooky” Williams and Carol Hall, for having a huge impact on her life.

In the future, Lydia says her organization is looking to add a partnership with DoorDash through FHL to make home deliveries to those who are homebound. They are also looking for their own Cargo-wrapped box Truck and an enlarged space to help meet growing and demanding needs and programs. Finally, Lydia seeks funding for at least two paid staff positions to assist her.

www.youfeedthemmfp.org