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Title:  Mike "Bread Mike" Wilkins
Description:  Mike Wilkins is a seemingly tireless advocate for the homeless, near-homeless, poor, addicted, and hungry in Danville, Virginia. He is one of the leaders of Grace and Main Fellowship (Danville's own intentional, Christian community of hospitality and service). He has been volunteering his time in service to sisters and brothers through Grace and Main for a couple of years and continues to lead us all in generosity and self-sacrifice to create change in our neighborhoods.

We call him "Bread Mike" because he first volunteered with his us by offering to give us some bread to distribute through our network of relationships among those struggling with hunger and homelessness in Danville. When I showed up to receive his donation, I was expecting several loaves of bread--maybe even a dozen loaves. Instead, he had a bread truck backed up in the parking lot and nearly 20 pallets of bread that were still unexpired but removed from the shelves of nearby stores.

Within a number of weeks, Mike became our "bread man" and was providing bread (and sometimes donuts or cookies for some of our friends who relished the delight of a sweet snack) to the houses connected with Grace and Main to distribute. To date, Bread Mike has personally provided thousands of loaves of bread to hungry people through his own hard work and sacrifice. Not because it gained him anything, but because it fed the hungry sisters and brothers with whom he was eating, praying, and learning to live.

If that was all he did--single handedly resourcing a relationship-driven food supplement ministry--then Mike should be the volunteer of the year. But, in addition, Mike opens his home and his dinner table to those most desperately in need on a regular basis, offering hospitality, rest, and refreshment to those most in need of the warmth of community and love.

When we asked him if it would be okay with him to nominate him, he consented upon the condition that it was clear that God should get the glory for the work that God has done through Mike and that he himself doesn't need/want the glory.

Mike is one of the blessed people sowing seeds of justice and change in our beloved city and he is most certainly the volunteer of the year.
Username:  jhearne
Vote Totals:  56
 
 
 
 
User Comment
muddee Mike is a wonderful person and has been for a long time.
Tue, Nov 18 2014 10:34 AM
prwilkins Proud to say this man is my younger brother! God bless you and the work that you do!!
Fri, Nov 07 2014 7:19 PM
MLinUSA I had the privilige to work with Mike on this year's Danville Area Crop Hunger Walk planning team and had a glimpse into all he does for our community in all humility and in his quiet way. I think he is wonderful!!
Thu, Nov 06 2014 6:08 PM
vlynx316 I often see Mike at Danville's grocery stores in the bread sections. He is always a smiling, caring man.
Thu, Nov 06 2014 6:08 PM
 
 
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