On their way to a Christian concert in Indianapolis, two local men arrived early and had food left over from their lunch.

They decided to find homeless people and others who needed food and handed it out to them, and they also had opportunities to pray with them.

After that happened in August 2023, they had a vision to do something like that in Jackson County.

They bought a food trailer, filed paperwork to become a 501(c)(3), received a health department permit and found a director.

Since October, Scott Larrison has served as director of ministry and community relations of the new nonprofit organization, Outreach Ministries of Seymour.

“I had a job change myself, and I stopped by to visit them,” he said of the men, who wish to remain anonymous. “We’re all Christians, and so (they met) just to pray for one another and offer support. During that time, they shared the story of what happened at the concert, and the Lord put it on their heart to start a feeding ministry here.”

By the week of Thanksgiving, the food trailer was ready for pickup, just in time to help deliver meals prepared at The Alley in Seymour to the communities of Medora, Vallonia and Freetown on Thanksgiving Day. Once back in Seymour, meals also were given to people at Kimberly Mobile Home Park.

The trailer then was set up Dec. 12 and Jan. 20 at Kasting Park in Seymour. For the latter event, 300 people were served.

“No strings attached. It doesn’t cost anything,” Larrison said. “It goes back to what we’re initially about, and that’s sharing the love of Christ and that love that he offers us is completely unconditional. No strings attached whatsoever.”

The next event is from noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 24 in the parking lot at State Bank of Medora, 24 E. Main St., Medora. The menu includes chili, peanut butter sandwiches and brownies. Free blankets and cold weather clothing will be available upon request.

From March on, the plan is to have two events per month, Larrison said. Information will be posted online at facebook.com/outreachseymour. Door hangers will be placed at homes in the community where the event is taking place.

Those will always include free food, and weather permitting, there also will be live music.

For now, one of the men who founded the organization is covering the cost of food.

“The founder, he’s very much obedient. The Lord has blessed him,” Larrison said. “He’s very successful with his business, and so anything that the Lord puts on his heart to do, he’s very obedient to that. He doesn’t hesitate. If he believes it’s from the Lord, he moves forward, no matter how crazy it may seem.”

As the organization builds its reputation, the goal is to run off of donations, Larrison said. Donations may be made online at outreachseymour.org or by calling 812-350-1924.

While conducting events, however, the organization has a policy of not accepting donations.

“We’re not selling anything, so no money onsite. This is all about free. We’re loving people unconditionally,” Larrison said. “At this time, we hope to go out and serve free hot meals and offer clothing. If it’s cold weather, maybe some jackets and blankets and stuff like that and eventually get hygiene items to hand out, as well. Our ultimate goal is to lead people to Christ. We’re going to do it through serving with love.”

The ministry’s tagline is “Sharing hope, serving with love, telling the good news,” and the organization is based on Matthew 25:40, “For the least of these.”

“When we were praying about this originally, we were thinking, ‘If we were serving Jesus, how would we do it?’” Larrison said. “We would treat him with dignity and respect, so that’s the mindset when we go out to serve people. It’s our heart’s desire to treat them as though we were treating Jesus himself.”

People also are encouraged to volunteer. Tasks include cooking offsite prior to events and working onsite and helping with cleanup during events. Larrison said at the second event at Kasting Park, there were 22 volunteers.

In the future, he said the organization may develop a network of volunteers who can clean up after natural disasters and help as other needs arise.

“We hope to be in a position to do that if there was such an event that we could just say, ‘Hey, guys, this just happened. Let’s go.’ Almost like a miniature Samaritan’s Purse,” Larrison said.

Outreach Ministries of Seymour also hopes to expand into other communities in Jackson County and neighboring Jennings and Bartholomew counties.

At a glance

Outreach Ministries of Seymour is a nonprofit organization with a vision to share the good news of Christ with all people and a mission to serve all people as though they were Jesus with excellence, dignity and honor.

The feeding ministry has conducted monthly events to this point and plans to expand to two events per month starting in March. The events include free food and live music.

For information, call 812-350-1924, visit outreachseymour.org or facebook.com/outreachseymour or email [email protected].

To donate, text “GIVE” to 812-363-1884 or visit the organization’s website.