The Gospel Wrapped in A Sandwich
Full interview with Nick Calandra | Hearts for the Homeless
Interviewed by Amy Tartick | The Chapel
Photo credit: Steeloff Photography
Waking up each morning rain or shine without a roof over their head or a place to call home is a reality for literally thousands of people in Erie County. Homelessness knows no racial, ethnic, or gender limitations as it impacts men, women, and children of all ages. There are several remarkable ministries reaching into the homeless community to offer food, clothing, and other essentials while building relationships that can lead others to meet Jesus as Savior and Lord.
For more than 30 years, Hearts for the Homeless has been wrapping the gospel in a sandwich and offering life-giving food to people who live on the streets of Buffalo, NY. We recently connected with Nicholas (Nick) Calandra, who serves at the helm of Hearts as president and CEO of the ministry. Nick is a husband and father of two boys. He has a special story and insights to share, so please settle in and join us for the conversation.
On Mission (OM): It is great to have you with us, Nick. Could we begin with you sharing about your journey and how you were connected with Hearts for the Homeless (Hearts)?
Nick: I feel blessed to be leading Hearts, and am grateful for being motivated daily to learn and grow as a leader and person of faith. I appreciate more and more the opportunity to be involved in vocational ministry where I can serve God and lead others to significantly impact lives by nourishing them physically and spiritually. Now it is important to note I didn’t always have such a conviction in my outlook. I’ve been involved with Hearts for well over 10 years now. Several years into my time, things changed significantly for me. Although I can point to the afternoon I accepted the free gift from God and gave my life to Jesus, not everything changed overnight. That moment was the start of my trust and belief that I couldn’t do “it” alone but that I could only do “it” with Jesus - that I needed Him. The “it” being everything. From that moment on, trusting in God’s timing versus my timing was the beginning of a lifelong journey to truly serve the Kingdom with the gifts God has given me. Interestingly, my salvation happened during an altar call by Pastor Eric Johns at the annual Christmas Eve dinner where Hearts was feeding the homeless in the Forbes Theater located in the former Buffalo Christian Center. Because I had family members in ministry, I had been attending and helping with the event since I was a young child. It is amazing to see how God puts moments and experiences in our lives! To this day, the annual Christmas Eve dinner is my favorite event of the year. Without going on forever, because it is easy to do when such dramatic change occurs in one’s life, I’d summarize my journey to salvation as the story of Hearts. It was through relationship ministry that I grew closer to God. It was not forced or in exchange for anything. It was not part of a societal process or expectation. Rather it was through experiencing first-hand faith and His love for us through seeing others express that faith and love for others through ministry.
Harvest Food pantry
OM: It is hard to believe that Hearts for the Homeless began more than 30 years ago. What were some of the steps that brought Hearts to where it is today?
Nick: When reflecting on the over three decades of ministry, it's hard for me not to think of all the small steps along the way. The day in and day out commitment that volunteers, donors, and staff members have had and still have for the organization; the faithfulness of God, the desire to serve and trust in Him, and the continual compassion for serving with dignity. Paired with thousands upon thousands of hours of hard work and personal sacrifice by all of our stakeholders. That is how we arrived at where we are today. I remind myself and my team that we are here today because we are standing on the shoulders of giants. In 2012, a few years into my time with the ministry, the [Hearts] founder shared with me, “It is not possible to suddenly be faithful in big things if you have not already been faithful in the small things! You always begin small; therefore, you must be faithful in small things; things that seem little, too easy, insignificant, unimportant, menial, not noticed . . . or beneath you. Only then, will you be given responsibility for bigger and more important things.” We find much of that thought in Luke 16:10 and on my desk, I keep a paper copy of that message which was sent to me over 10 years ago. Walking that out daily is a big part of the Hearts story and a significant part of what brought Hearts to where it is today.
OM: The mobile soup kitchen has been a consistent element of the Hearts ministry over the years. How did this all get started, and what does the feeding program look like today?
Nick: There are many reasons why individuals cannot or will not receive services in homeless shelters or sit-down dining settings. These reasons range from mental health challenges to substance abuse, and also include interpersonal skills. Sometimes individuals voluntarily choose to be on the street, and other times behavior has resulted in the street being their only option. The Mobile Soup Kitchen started by going out on the streets of Buffalo looking for the chronically homeless who were living on the streets. The goal was to first feed people, because without this basic human need being met, it is next to impossible to connect with them on anything else. The act of providing food and other items with dignity is a way to show people Jesus’ love for them: the gospel wrapped in a sandwich (C. Spurgeon). After meeting basic human needs, building a relationship with others is at the core of who we are – the same as back in 1990 as it is today. Relationship ministry starts by providing food and other basic needs, and from there volunteers and staff can share the gospel. What has changed is the location of where we serve, an expansion from serving the chronically homeless to anyone in need, and the type of food we are serving. Today we are consistently serving at the downtown library in Buffalo. We now serve anyone who is in need and find that we are serving the chronically homeless, the working poor, and others struggling to just get by or who are in need. We see familiar faces, or sometimes we see a family just once. Although we still serve peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, like we did in the early 90’s, we are also serving hot meals and cold salads with fresh foods worked into as many meals as possible. Meeting the basic needs of food and water are now always paired with other items such as clothing, shoes, blankets, and toiletries. As our downtown region grows and further redevelops, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hearts add additional site locations for the Mobile Soup Kitchen.
Current Mobile Soup Kitchen
OM: It seems Hearts is bursting at the seams with new opportunities. Could you share a little about the Harvest Food Pantry and why you decided to implement a “client choice” distribution method? What is this method and how is this approach helping shoppers at the pantry?
Nick: The Hearts Harvest Food Pantry is such a special program. For decades, our programs have largely been off-site, such as the longstanding Mobile Soup Kitchen. With the 2021 dedication of the Hearts Harvest Food Pantry, we are welcoming our neighbors in need to receive support and services at our own campus. Through this food pantry, we are able to build relationships with our neighbors in Riverside, both families and individuals. Riverside has one of the highest poverty rates in Buffalo. The neighborhood is diverse with a mix of long-time residents and refugees. It is not uncommon to hear several languages throughout the day. We often hear children translating for their parents. As clients move through the pantry and select food items they enjoy cooking and eating, they are participating in “client choice” distribution. Simply put, there is dignity in choice. Choosing food, much of which is fresh and perishable versus just being given a bag or box of items, can be empowering and uplifting. It is our hope that someday a child looks back and asks the question, “That was a food pantry?” This client choice approach is helping aid people by providing them access to fresh items and to pick items they enjoy. We often see families and individuals in need coming back to our pantry and this creates that opportunity for us to minister to them and develop a relationship with them. The food serves as an opportunity to form a trusting relationship. Hearts provides a “hand up” to those in need by sharing the love of Christ.
OM: It must take a significant number of people to keep everything in motion at Hearts and you’re still growing! How do volunteers factor into what Hearts is able to do in the community, and what do you look for in volunteers?
Nick: Volunteers make our work in the community possible. It does take a significant number of people volunteering to keep everything in motion. Our volunteers have such amazing hearts. They are giving their time to serve the community and make a difference in the lives of others. We look for volunteers that have the desire to serve and are willing to be flexible. I was reminded years ago that the mission field is not just overseas but right here in our backyard, too. Volunteers come to us with all different backgrounds. This diversity creates an opportunity for everyone to experience new interactions with others, and the opportunity to grow relationally and spiritually. Our volunteer opportunities range from being very broad while some can be specific to a skill set. But for the most part, we are able to find a role for almost everyone.
OM: What do you see that gets in the way of people serving the vulnerable? How can these roadblocks be removed?
Nick: Ourselves. We often get in our own way or we don’t know how to do it on our own. And when I say “on our own,” I don’t mean we each have to start a new ministry. In fact, often that idea of us having to start something new becomes the roadblock. There are so many wonderful organizations involved with Kingdom Come that serve vulnerable people. Serve with one of them, serve with several of them and find an organization that's a good fit for you. Serving the vulnerable can be intimidating because sometimes we don't think we can relate. I can tell you first-hand that largely falls on us, because we can be insecure or feel unrelatable. Vulnerable people are still people, they are our brothers and sisters. Hearts is able to facilitate many opportunities to help you remove the roadblocks that get in the way of serving. As people of God, we are called to serve the hurting and broken. We want to invite you to join us in serving the vulnerable.
OM: How can we better understand who is our neighbor? Where do we start?
Nick: For me this answer is simple: we start by starting. Not by starting a conversation or starting an email but by starting to serve. Go outside, outside the church walls, outside our comfort zone, outside our communities - go outside and serve. Our doors are open to those who want to serve. Hearts is an extension of the church, and we are here to help you understand our neighbors through serving them. Come serve with Hearts and start. Start something that will inevitably change your life as much as, and likely more than, those you are serving. Start. I hope we see you soon!
OM: What is next on the horizon for Hearts? How may we best pray for you and your team?
Nick: Earlier this year we announced an expansion of our work related to food insecurity. With the launch of Hearts Food Pantry Express, we will take the client choice food pantry distribution concept to neighborhoods outside of Buffalo. By using a large bus as a food pantry, Hearts will, for the first time in our history, consistently serve communities outside of Buffalo. Please pray for this program and the lives that will be touched because of it. Initially, we intend to serve two additional communities each week, 52 weeks per year. We pray that continues long into the future. Additionally, our board of directors are talking and praying over several ways Hearts can further support the homeless in Buffalo, as the need in our community is so great. Through existing and new relationships, we are hoping to build deeper partnerships and, if it is God’s will for Hearts, we may see more new programs for the homeless in the near future. Please pray that the needs of the homeless and needy will be met.
