Local nonprofit offering free hot meals at Dormont church every month

DORMONT, Pa. — On the third Monday of every month you can find a free hot meal at the North Way Christian Community Church in Dormont.

The nonprofit group Grow Living Stones serves it up.

Harvey Totty has been volunteering with his family for a year and half.

“I really appreciate giving back. A lot of people have given to me,” Totty said.

This is actually an extension of Grow Living Stones’ regular Sunday Suppers, where they offer free dinners year round at churches in Baldwin, Dormont and Fairhaven/Overbrook.

“We always say our ministry begins around the table with a meal, but it’s the relationsips we build that matter to us most,” Grow Living Stones’ executive director, Julie Livingston, said.

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The food is donated from places like St. Clair Hospital, the Grand Concourse restaurant and retirement homes affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Otherwise, the food would be thrown out. Grow Living Stones rescues, freezes and eventually serves it, but they don’t stop there.

As part of what Livingston calls her “Monday thing,” they offer free haircuts, crafts and open the doors of their clothing closet.

Livingston is an engineer by trade, successful with an MBA and a background in artificial intelligence, space propulsion and putting man on the moon.

But 10 years ago it was an even higher power that called her to feed those in need.

“When God calls, you just obey and leave all the consequences to him,” Livingston said.

That’s when she started Grow Living Stones.

For Carolyn Gill it comes down to kindness and appreciating what you have in your life.

“Be blessed you have a place to stay and have food because some people don’t have that. They really don’t. I’m very blessed every day. Every day,” Gill said.

Like so many things, what we give, we get back with a spirit of gratitude.

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