Joanna and Todd Keim of Abington Township have been making trails to Hope Park in Kensington—an area plagued by drugs, violence, and prostitution—since the summer of 2019.
Every other Sunday, they load the back of Todd’s truck with food, clothing, blankets, and toiletries for the residents of the Hope Park area. Once parked, they unload and invite the community to take whatever they need, including a hug.
The biweekly tradition began through Luke and Allison Billman, Philadelphia residents who founded and directed Shores of Grace Ministry out of Germantown for years after laying the groundwork in Brazil in the 2010s. Todd and Joanna initially participated through Lighthouse Fellowship United Methodist Church (LFUMC) in Glenside.
When the pandemic hit, the Billmans had to step back from Hope Park due to health concerns, and Todd and Joanna picked up right where they left off. Their non-denominational outreach sometimes included a Saturday afternoon or a Saturday evening with a movie in the park.
“Todd and I felt called to continue. We started doing it weekly because we had formed relationships and we knew that people were hungry,” Joanna, a preschool special education teacher with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, said. “Our pastor suggested that we get LFUMC involved, and people started donating all kinds of food and clothing.”
As the weeks went on, participation in Hope Park expanded, and participation in the surrounding suburbs followed suit. On Thanksgiving Day, the Keims took donations and three turkeys, stuffing, gravy, and more.
“We’ve been doing that for the past five years. We’ve taken chili, pot roasts, we’ve had cookouts with salads and a snow cone machine. It’s become a little party, people really enjoy it,” Todd, a registered nurse in Jefferson Abington’s emergency department, said.
According to Todd, greater Glenside’s involvement “has grown exponentially.”
“We started getting really nice support from people who wanted to participate, most of whom are from Glenside, Abington, Jenkintown, Upper Dublin, and Hatboro. It’s really developed into a relationship with the Kensington community,” he said. “We minister to everyone, including the homeless population, the dealers, everybody. Our whole mission is to change the atmosphere of what’s going on down there and really try to win over hearts. No one’s ever gotten over addiction through education, so we’re taking a spiritual angle. We show them love and kindness. We love people where they are. We want people to know that they’re valued, regardless of their current situations.”
The Keims say hugs and unconditional giving are a central theme of their outreach.
“We hear people say, ‘It’s been so long since someone wanted to hug me.’ We treat them like the beautiful human beings they are,” Joanna said. “We had an opportunity in April 2024 to go to Brazil to experience the ministry there. We came back all fired up to take some of the things we learned down there back to Philadelphia. For example, we brought back worship time and music. Todd brings his guitar, and people stop, listen and enjoy.”
They also have a freshly refurbished picnic table in the mix, donated by a neighbor. Todd said the table has allowed them to spend more time communing with people.
“Everyone’s welcome at the table, and it’s extra special because of where that table came from. We now have a chess and checkers set that people play on. It gives you a chance to get to know people,” Joanna said.
The Keim’s made a return visit to Brazil in April. While there, they learned that Luke and Allison had temporarily stepped out of ministry. They were asked to take over Shores of Grace Philadelphia, and they readily agreed.
“We’re now in charge of this whole thing. It’s been amazing to see how it’s evolved and changed over the years. We’re excited to see what comes next,” Joanna said. “At some point, we’d like to purchase a house down there to work out of, store our stuff, and have a base.”
“We’ve also tried to spend some time with other churches in the community to let them know about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, in hopes of expanding our support base. The more the merrier,” Todd said. “We’re always looking for new socks, and lightly used or new gloves, hats, coats, hoodies, jackets and blankets.”
Shores of Grace will be heading to Hope Park on Sunday afternoon as part of their Christmas outreach.
“We’ll be bringing presents, treats, and surprises and try to remind them how loved they are,” Joanna said.
If you’d like to join or donate, you can click here. For more on Shores of Grace Minstry, you can visit their Facebook page.
For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.
Photos: Shores of Grace