According to data from Home, 1,101 individuals were classified as homeless in Bermuda in 2024. Behind that figure are families navigating rising living costs, insecure employment and mounting financial strain. For many, the line between stability and crisis has become dangerously thin.

At Christ Church, Warwick, we have witnessed this reality first-hand.

What began 13 years ago as a modest laundry-and-breakfast initiative has evolved into a sustained frontline response to a growing national emergency around food insecurity. When the pandemic struck, we scaled rapidly to meet urgent need, serving up to 500 people daily. Today, what was once an emergency has become a permanent reality. We now provide hot meals every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, alongside Saturday laundry, shower and breakfast facilities.

The scale of this work is a testament to the Bermudian spirit. Through volunteers and community donations, we have provided more than 340,000 meals, 20,000 loads of laundry and 14,000 showers.

Our support now extends to two local primary schools where children lack consistent access to nutrition. We also maintain resource-sharing partnerships with WindReach, the Transitional Community Centre, the Salvation Army and The Eliza DoLittle Society — recognising that meaningful impact requires collaboration.

A lean model of compassion

Our Loads of Love programme operates on a foundation of radical efficiency. With two part-time staff members — a co-ordinator and a chef — the programme is powered by our “army” of volunteers who manage food preparation, service and mobile delivery.

We rely on the generosity of local farmers, supplier discounts and produce donations, including contributions from the gardens of Government House. In many cases, we serve as a bridge between those who have something to give — whether food, time or a Belco voucher — and those struggling to meet basic needs.

As the scale and complexity of this work have grown, so too has the responsibility to sustain it effectively. The church leadership has recognised that for Loads of Love to remain resilient and accountable, it must evolve. We are therefore exploring incorporation as a separate registered charity under the Bermuda Charities Act.

This step is not a departure from the church’s mission; it is a commitment to protect and strengthen it. It would ensure that this mission can outlive any single generation of church leadership.

Formal independence would allow us to broaden our funding base by accessing institutional grants that require stand-alone charitable status. It would ensure governance structures and AML/ATF compliance appropriate to an operation that has surpassed 340,000 meals served. It would also provide donors with greater transparency and clarity around how their contributions directly address food insecurity.

As our minister, the Reverend Martin Fair, reflects: “Our faith is found in the hands that peel the vegetables and the hearts that open our doors. This transition isn't about moving away from the church; it's about ensuring the church’s promise to the poor is kept for ever.”

A shared commitment

Feeding Bermuda is not a short-term effort. It requires consistency, partnership and a willingness to adapt as need evolves.

We invite the community to stand with us as we formalise this work — ensuring that Christ Church, Warwick, continues to serve as a sanctuary of hope and a reliable source of sustenance for those who depend on it.

If you would like to volunteer, donate produce or support our building fund, please contact Chris Garland on 799-5033 or at chrisgarlandbda@gmail.com.

• David Thompson is programme director of Christ Church, Warwick. His op-ed is part of the Third Sector Spotlight Series, a collective campaign co-ordinated by the Non-Profit Alliance of Bermuda. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the value, impact and contributions of Bermuda’s non-profit sector