As the mayor of the safety, this has been our seventh year with Dignity House, a location that I took off the tax rolls from development and created this initiative to remind us all that every life deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Every year we've been able to do more and more events.

More and more events from our Super Bowl coming together once a year to the showers every week to the mailboxes.

We've been able to have uh eight individuals off of the streets and receive permanent housing over the years.

Our goal is to provide a resource center to connect individuals with the necessary tools to come off the street.

As mayor, I've shared this in the past before for uh for a period of time when I was a single dad, I was homeless.

Um unfortunately the challenges that I faced had uh necessitated me to uh find labor and ensure that I can find a secure place for my son.

But by God's grace, from that experience to being able to get promoted at the hospital to have a steady job, to be able to run for office and now become mayor, it was one of the driving forces to ensure that we would always have a resource center in this city to connect people.

I share that story because I think it's important to understand that the line that divides us is thinner in terms of uh the potential to end up in need or vulnerable, whether you're dealing with a health condition, whether you're dealing with an extended circumstance, that could be anything by God's grace is the fact that each of us get to eat and move forward.

So that's why we unite and come together to help one another because today it could be another, tomorrow it might be us.

So together we continue to thrive as a community.

To those who are in our city, who sometimes pass through our city, who find themselves in need, know that you are a part of our community.

We keep this city clean and moving forward together.

All of us do our part.

So again, as we serve one another, we do this.

Obviously, I've said this in a way to honor God.

The greatest expression of faith is in our action, not just with words.

So we come together in that expression, and with that said, I would like to um ask for uh a prayer for the food and a blessing.

Um, I typically do the prayer, but I'm gonna ask Pastor Harrison who's here with the church, come on in, sir.

Come on in, no problem.

Come on in, no pressure.

Come on, and we're waiting for you to sing the national anthem.

No, no, I'm just messing with you.

All right, we're gonna start with a prayer.

Uh le quiero de la gracia those otra vez, one repetitive brevemente lo que yo personalmente and when you know, Padre Soltero.

So conversion, you send you the expression.

All right, Pastor House, we need to pray for the food.

Oh shit.

Thank you very much for your contribution to that.

All right, let's try to get again with you, Brother.

Let's pray.

Bow your hands and close your eyes.

Father, we thank you for this moment.

We thank you that you're not a God that's limited to padded pews and stained glass windows, Father.

But wherever there's two or three gathered in your name, there shall you be.

And we thank you that your presence is here, Lord.

Your love is here, your peace is here.

This is a safe place, Lord.

There are so many of us that have so many different backgrounds, stories, Lord.

And I ask you, Father, that you would be with them, that you would place your hand over them, guide them.

Thank you, Lord, for keeping them this far.

Thank you for keeping us this far.

We bless the food that we're about to eat, the hands that made it, the bodies who received it, Father, and those, Lord Jesus that are in need, Lord, be Jehovah James, supply their needs, keep them in perfect peace.

We thank you for what you've done, for what you're doing.

But by faith, we thank you for what you're going to do.

This is going to be a great end of the year and a great beginning of the year.

We have much to be thankful for.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you so much.

Also my wife, my wife Mickey who's here to help us out.

She's going to help us to learn.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else that we missed mentioning?

City Hall employees.

Judith, huh?

Mayor speed.

Oh, uh, our youth council, our uh youth council, the mayor's youth council.

Thank you so very much to all the members of the council.

Uh also want to thank Sister Emily, Emily, Emily, because you can have our hands on the Lord.

All right.

You're calling yourself.

All right, all right.

That's a love.

That's our greatest strength at City Hall.

It's our humility.

That's what uh we all right now.

We're gonna make sure that everybody gets food, and we're here until two o'clock just providing food.

So thank you so very much.