Delight Ministries, a women’s ministry group that has been on the University of Florida campus since 2015, hosted an event to feed the homeless on Saturday.

The group prepared home-cooked meals for 30 hungry homeless people in the Gainesville area.

Sarah Sicheri, team director and president of UF’s Delight chapter, said the group’s mission extends beyond campus walls.

“Our service event focused on supporting and blessing Gainesville’s homeless community. We hope to provide comfort, nourishment, and a reminder to people that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved by God,” Sicheri said.

The group of 13 women — dedicated to bettering the Gainesville community and spreading the word of God— spent their Saturday morning cooking meals and preparing blessing bags for the homeless people in the Gainesville area.

The meal they cooked consisted of baked ziti with ground beef. Along with the fresh, hot meal, the women assembled blessing bags they filled with essentials such as granola bars, toothpaste, soap, socks, and water.

The bags also contained an encouraging Bible verse. Bella Carper, UF’s Delight service coordinator, said the verses aim to give people words of encouragement and spiritual comfort.

For the individuals receiving the meals, the group's kindness was a welcome gesture.

One man named Matt said he had been looking for nourishment for hours.

“I haven't eaten since I got out of prison yesterday,” he said.

Another man named Paul left the group with words of encouragement.

“Stay on that good path. Real is in short supply these days,” Paul said.

But perhaps the most moving moment of the event came when one man named Sammy looked at the volunteers in awe. Taking time to process the kindness before him, he said simply: “You guys are angels.”

While the women of Delight Ministries provided food and supplies, the nourishment they offered was far greater than just physical, said Sicheri. The work is intended to give the people on the receiving end hope and a sense of belonging.

Delight Ministries is a nationwide women’s organization with chapters on over 250 campuses across the U.S. It was founded by two Belmont University students and has spread to serving communities throughout the country.

The groups meet once a week to build community by studying a book or message from the Bible.

Service projects are a familiar territory for Delight Ministries. The group has organized initiatives to create Christmas cards for servicemembers overseas who can’t be with their families for the holidays, said Carper.

Members have also taken part in crafting Valentine’s Day cards for senior citizens in local nursing homes, reminding them that they are loved. They’ve also contributed to Operation Christmas Child, a worldwide service project that delivers gifts to children of all ages at Christmas.

Many of the service projects are funded by members, who pay out of pocket for most of the supplies. However, through support from local churches, including Trinity Baptist in Keystone and CityLight Church in Gainesville, the on-campus group is able to take its projects to other groups.

“Every semester, our chapter of Delight aims to host at least one local service event," Sicheri said. "Following the success of this event, our team is excited to continue expanding our service efforts, and engaging in even more opportunities that align with our mission, such as volunteering at food banks, organizing donation drives, or partnering with additional local nonprofits.”

Both Carper and Sicheri said they hope for future events to build on their continued impact on the Gainesville community.

“I think it’s really sweet that we’re able to do this for the community, and I know it will make a big impact on those who receive it,” Carper said. “It’s really special, and I’ve enjoyed seeing this group of girls come together to better the community. That’s been the most rewarding part.”

Sicheri said it is through these acts of service that Delight Ministries hopes to make a wide impact, spreading the love of Jesus to all.