After nearly 20 years serving unhoused neighbors often overlooked, Gay Goforth’s volunteer impact through Open Door Ministry has helped feed, clothe and love those neighbors thousands of times in countless ways.

Each Saturday for the past 33 years, Open Door Ministry volunteers serve more than 200 meals for unhoused neighbors, or anyone in need. For the past two decades, one very special woman – Gay Goforth – has been a force in making that consistent ministry thrive. Putting in countless hours a week behind the scenes to make sure that each Saturday runs successfully, in her many years of service Gay has been involved with a little bit of everything Open Door Ministry has to offer – and the ministry has offered a lot over the years!
What started as a food service to feed the unhoused nearby the historic University United Methodist Church has expanded into much more over time – they’ve opened coffee stations, haircut spots, pet food areas, and grab-and-go book tables.

The organization ebbs and flows with changing needs and opportunities, but has never – never! – missed a single Saturday service in over 33 years. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic the ministry continued to serve, and Gay was a leader in coordinating everything to make that happen safely – putting up safety cones for social distancing, ensuring plenty of personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks were available and distributed, even sharing regular news and guidance from national health authorities. “I would venture to say Gay probably loses sleep sometimes to make sure it all goes smoothly for us,” says one of Open Door’s coordinators, Will Hyatt. “Her heart and her passion stand out – she really cares.”

Post-Covid, Gay transitioned into her backstage role where she works ferociously as a buyer/earner to continue Open Door Ministry’s services. Gay and her husband Larry coordinate all the food services, including scheduling food deliveries. She expanded and formalized the church’s composting and recycling program to cover Open Door’s Saturday operations, which resulted in much reduction in landfill waste. She’s also been involved in publicizing steps churchgoers can use to increase recycling and composting. She has even written the Open Door Handbook, to cover tasks leaders and volunteers are responsible for, so the ministry runs smoothly.

What stands out most for Gay is the people she serves. “Everybody becomes like family in this ministry,” says Gay. “Many times, volunteers get to know people who come to Open Door, and help success stories happen outside of our Saturday get-togethers!”