About Us
The Sword and Spoon is a 501c3 Non-Profit Charity that was created with the local Knights of Columbus #10377 and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church. Together we served food to the homeless and those at risk in Port Richey and Hudson communities. A lot of changes since 2014, but still the same mission. We joined the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County Continuum of Care in 2016 and became an Official Outreach Team for them in 2019. We now cover the whole county and rotate our Outreach Teams throughout.
The Sword and Spoon is part of the Coordinated Entry System of Pasco County Continuum of Care and is one of the Designated Access Points available. We also serve on the Leadership Board for the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County. We make every attempt to locate, identify, and assess our homeless citizens in distress who may not know who or how to access the resources needed for their situation.
The Sword and Spoon provides Face to Face Direct Services. Street-based Outreach involves experienced teams building relationships with people in the street and encampments in an attempt to connect them to housing, healthcare, mental health treatment, and other services. A process that can vary in length and is customized to meet individuals’ unique needs. When available we bring food, clothing, and other resources with us. With our boots-on-the-ground strategy we are working to combat this problem one person at a time.
Unlike other organizations, The Sword and Spoon prefers to visit these uninhabitable places in the streets and the woods without law enforcement to serve the homeless and make them aware of the options available to them. We are not law enforcement. We do not share their location with anybody to protect their privacy and temporary living space, and their personal information is protected within the homeless management information system. We hold our teams to the highest standards for integrity, commitment, communication, respect, and dignity based.
Our efforts are primarily funded by individual donors, who contribute as much as possible to help provide meals and supplies to those who need them the most. Throughout the year, we also organize many fundraising activities that help us raise additional funds to support our mission. We are fortunate to receive donations from local businesses and individuals who make generous contributions to our cause. We also receive funds from grants when available and other donations that allow us to purchase supplies and equipment. Our volunteers are always hard at work preparing delicious meals and distributing them to those in need in our community. Their hard work and dedication are the driving force behind everything we do. Without the help and support of our volunteers, we could not accomplish our mission.
Our Vision
To help us achieve our long-term goal and be self-sustainable, we were blessed by The Knights of Columbus Council Fr. Felix Ullrich #5869 with the purchase of a 2018 Ford Step Van. Our goal is to install a kitchen in it to make a Food Truck that we will serve the community. It will also enable us to train, employ, and rotate one homeless individual at a time on the truck until they have a full-time job and a place to live. Once up and operational we will register and respond to hurricane disasters in Florida to assist with the initial food needed in the affected communities