The Park Church hosted a Wednesday afternoon cookout for homeless residents in uptown’s Marshall Park.

The event was part of “Solidarity Week,” an annual event during which members of the church show solidarity with the homeless. This year, Solidarity Week began Sunday, April 17, and ended Thursday.

At the Marshall Park cookout, members of the youth and young adult ministries shared hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and cookies with dozens of homeless Charlotte residents.

The Park began Solidarity Week in New Orleans five years ago, working with survivors of Hurricane Katrina. This was the first year the event was held in Charlotte, said the Rev. Nicole Martin, the church’s young adult minister.

“What we realized is every year we go to New Orleans, and we take young people who are on fire for the Lord to another city to get an experience with God and have them give back in a tangible way,” she said, “and as we were preparing this year, we realized there is a great need here in our city.”

Park members this year volunteered at the Charlotte Rescue Mission, A Child’s Place, the Dilworth Soup Kitchen, the Men’s Shelter, the Salvation Army, Crisis Assistance and Samaritan’s Feet.

They also held a “prayer walk” in uptown Charlotte, stopping to pray in areas that homeless people frequent. Each night the group slept at the church or camped on the street. On Wednesday they slept in Marshall Park, and on Thursday they volunteered at Urban Ministries.
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