Church Under the Bridge ramps up
homeless outreach during the holidays
BY AMY MORGAN
F R E E L A N C E W R I T E R
Church Under the Bridge (CUB)
sacrifices for the least of these in our
city unconditionally. As the old hymn
goes, each can say he comes “just as I
am, though tossed about…”
The humble ministry began 23
years ago when individuals with hearts
for San Antonio’s homeless population
began showing unconditional love to
those living on the street. They worked
literally under the bridge of U.S.
Highway 281 downtown.
“We don't care if you're in a gang.
We don't care if you're doing meth. We
don't care if you sleep under the Ninth
Street bridge. We're just going to love
you. We're going to take you in. As long
as you are orderly, we’re going to let
you come in the sanctuary to hear
about Jesus,” says current Executive
Director Dianne Talbert.
CUB moved several times until
donors purchased property by the
Hayes Street Bridge, where they built a
$1.3 million indoor facility that opened
in 2011. The building houses a sanctuary,
where services are held three
evenings a week. It includes restrooms,
a commercial kitchen, a dining hall
and a medical and dental clinic.
Around 350-500 homeless and marginalized
men, women and children
consider CUB their church home, says
Dianne.
At CUB, they’ll see 3,000 volunteers
and 60 partner agencies donate items,
cook and serve a hot meal. Dinners are
served Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
nights for the participants, many of
whom are regulars.
“We feed them spiritually and physically,
then connect them to other
agencies that can help them get off the
street,” says Dianne. She’s been leading
the operations of CUB for the past eight
years. Upkeep for the physical building
creates thousands of dollars of recurring
expenses. Rather than drop services,
part-time staff members perform their
duties at CUB as volunteers.
“God put me here,” says Dianne. “I
love the men and women who come
here — both the members of our
congregation and the many churches
and people who serve them.”
She’s seen 300 to 500 weekly
benefitting from the support CUB
provides. Some have returned to
become volunteer staff !
One woman has especially
blossomed at CUB. When Suzanne first
started coming, says Dianne, she
seemed despondent. Her speech was
never positive. As she kept coming to
church, she grew to love the Lord. “She
walked around with a Bible in her hand
all day long. But — one day,” says
Dianne, “she finally realized that she is
important; that God loves her, not
somebody else. Then, anybody that will
listen, she will tell them about Jesus.
She’s like a mini Billy Graham.”
Suzanne even saved her money
from the good job she landed and
pursued her dream to travel to the
Holy Land.
Spiritual growth also comes
11 www.saBeacon.com October / November 2019
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