Ep. 04 | Ashton Walker – Loaves and Fishes

Ashton Walker explains that Loaves and Fishes operates Monday through Friday out of the basement of St. John the Wonderworker Orthodox Church on Cherokee Avenue in Grant Park. Setup begins between 6:30 and 7 a.m. By 7:30 they serve coffee and pastries, at 9 a.m. a hot meal and lunch bag go out, and they hand out gloves, hats, and hygiene kits daily. The program has been running in some form since 1989.

“I'll get there between 6:30 and 7, we'll start setting up. By 7:30 we serve coffee and pastries and at 9 o'clock we do a hot meal and a lunch to go bag.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says Loaves and Fishes sees about 60 to 65 men a day on average. That number has remained fairly consistent over the long history of the program, though it does fluctuate.

“We see about 60 to 65 men a day and that's a pretty average for us over the long term of the program.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says all the food is donated. Major donors include Chick-fil-A, Whole Foods, various churches, and the Emory cafeteria. They work with nonprofits like Food Donation Connection and Second Helpings, which Walker calls one of the best organizations in Atlanta for connecting donors to smaller nonprofits.

“All of our food is donated. Chick-fil-A and Whole Foods are some of our bigger staple donors in terms of food, and then we get a lot of food from churches and from Emory cafeteria.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says volunteers come from all backgrounds, including families from the neighborhood, devout Orthodox Christians, and people with no religious affiliation. One core volunteer is a professional chef who is devoutly agnostic and comes in twice a week. Homeschool families bring their kids, and church groups from as far as Gwinnett County volunteer regularly.

“We have volunteers who are from the neighborhood, we have volunteers who are devout Orthodox, we have one of our core volunteers is devoutly agnostic and does not like anything involving religion. He just loves to feed hungry people.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says the program is surprisingly kid friendly. His own 10-year-old and 6-year-old come with him on school breaks and help run plates, make cookie bags, and talk to guests. Homeschool families volunteer every Friday with their children, and Sunday school groups make sandwiches. He notes that guests are often on their best behavior around kids.

“My kids, they'll be hanging out at Loaves and Fishes running plates, making cookie bags, talking to people. Something about having kids there, they're on their best behavior.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says the easiest way to get in touch is through focusatlanta.org. You can also walk up to 543 Cherokee Avenue in Grant Park and ask questions. He welcomes neighbors, volunteers, and anyone in need of help. The program loves walk-ups and people who stop by to learn more.

“focusatlanta.org is the website. That's the easiest and best way to find our contact information, but also 543 Cherokee Ave. We love walk-ups. We love neighbors who walk by and ask us questions.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker explains that the Mercy Care medical team comes in every Thursday and runs a full doctor's office on site. Occasionally they bring in a foot doctor who does what Walker calls borderline foot surgery. In addition, a foot clinic runs every Tuesday, and a shower truck visits every Wednesday.

“Thursday the amazing Mercy Care medical team come in and run a doctor's office. Occasionally they bring in a foot doctor who does borderline foot surgery there.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says the foot clinic is run by Church of the Common Ground volunteers every Tuesday. They wash feet, cut toenails, file, and provide all foot care up to medical-grade services. A Grady nurse volunteer told him it is crucial for unhoused neighbors who lack basic maintenance, and it makes it easier for hospitals to handle more serious foot issues.

“They wash feet, they cut toenails, they file, they do everything up to sort of medical grade stuff foot care. A lot of the time they don't have socks, they don't have shoes that fit, they have so many issues that a hospital won't deal with but the foot clinic will.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says two social workers from In-Town Cares come through daily to pick up casework and help people get connected to jobs, housing, benefits, and other resources. He singles out Matt Reed, an In-Town Cares social worker who has been at the program every day and previously worked with Mercy Care, calling his quiet work a blessing.

“We have two social workers that come through to pick up casework, helping people get connected to jobs, to housing, all kinds of stuff. Matt Reed at the program every day, the kind of quiet work that he does for the program is just a blessing.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says they always need underwear because they go through it quickly. They also need men's pants in sizes 30 to 36 and men's shoes in sizes nine and a half to twelve and a half. Right now they have plenty of socks. He asks people to drop donations at 543 Cherokee Avenue or contact them through focusatlanta.org.

“We always need underwear. We blast through underwear. Men's pants size 30 to 36 and men's shoes in that nine and a half to twelve and a half range, I am always looking for those.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says they accept clothing donations and store overflow at a Lutheran church near Memorial and 285. They focus on men's clothing because most of their guests are men, and they trade women's and children's clothing with other programs that serve families in low-income housing and day motels.

“We use their clothing closet, so we store a lot of our clothes down there when we're at capacity. I'll send any donations of kids clothing and women's clothing over that way and we'll get more men's.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker grew up as a missionary kid in the Philippines, then returned to Atlanta and played in punk bands while working at the Majestic and Fellini's Pizza. He studied U.S. history at Mercer, then got a master's in public policy and urban studies at Georgia State's Andrew Young School. He spent time in Brooklyn working at Strand Bookstore before coming to this role about a year ago.

“I grew up a missionary kid in the Philippines. I came back and started playing in punk bands, working at the Majestic, working at Fellini's Pizza. I did my undergrad at Mercer in U.S. history and then I did my master's at Georgia State in public policy at the Andrew Young School.”Ashton Walker

Ashton Walker says he has been the center director for about a year. His wife is a grant writer for nonprofits, and they heard about the job through their church, St. Elias on Ponce. He visited the program, fell in love with it, and took the position even though it sounded chaotic.

“I went into the program to check it out and I just fell in love. This was about a year ago.”Ashton Walker