Kathy Dabbs & Laurie Parker

Kathy Dabbs and Laurie Parker stepped forward and answered the call in March 2020 at the beginning of the Covid pandemic when the word went out at First Baptist Church in Taylor TX that help was needed for registration on the carline at Shepherd’s Heart Taylor. The Pantry was converting from an indoor client-choice model to a drive-through service on the corner of E Second and Porter streets. This was a complete change in processes under the most difficult conditions as the Pantry team adapted to new ways of continuing our longtime pantry service.

The two friends immediately made themselves indispensable additions to the Pantry service as they efficiently helped to move the long line of cars along adding their special touches of friendship and compassion which mean so much especially when the Texas weather is not friendly. It is often cold, rainy or scorching on the sidewalks outside the Food Pantry. Their faithful service every week eventually expanded to include the Homebound Ministry to clients who are too elderly or disabled to pick up their groceries when Laurie started making deliveries. One day, our part time truck driver, George Rios, was asked to assist Laurie with moving the bags and helping her with deliveries. George had moved to Taylor from California and had recently begun volunteering at Shepherd’s Heart. A very unexpected love story slowly unfolded and the two were married in 2023.

You can still find these faithful volunteers serving on Tuesday afternoons, alternating on Saturday mornings, and serving our homebound clients. Laurie made sure I would mention that George doesn’t help her load the van. He is the muscle and she helps him. Ruben Perez is someone who has been volunteering even longer than Kathy and Laurie. He doesn’t say much but is essential to the inner workings of the packing process.  His leadership and organizational skills make our jobs possible.