A Charlotte Mother Is Using Her Culinary Experience To Give Back After Losing Her Job

CHARLOTTE, NC. — There’s a  bustling community kitchen at Northside Baptist Church, where volunteers prepare meals every week for families who are struggling during the coronavirus crisis.

“I just felt so bad, so I just wanted to do something about it. So I started doing little meals and things and just giving back in the community,” says Jerri Jones.

Jones lost her job in the foodservice industry a few weeks ago because of the pandemic. The mother of a 4-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy, felt she had to be strong for her children.

“I got these two little ones looking at me. If I fall apart, they are going to fall apart. Even if I have to scream or whatever I got to go to the bathroom. Whatever I gotta do, I don’t want them to see that.”

Jones reached out to Northside Baptist Church to see if she could use her culinary skills to help. Joining the church’s community kitchen to help families during this difficult time.

“We started doing this basically because we know what it’s like to actually not have a home and struggle from day to day. What I wanted my kids to know is that, don’t forget about where you came from and always give back.”

Jones has made more than 5,000 meals for families so far. Even dropping them off

“Just to see the look in the expressions on their face, and the kids face. The last thing they need to worry about is feeding their families, the parents and things like that.”