From Struggle to Service: How One Man’s Mission Is Bringing Love to Families in Need
After tough times hit, CJ Winslow discovered a new purpose by helping foster families in his community
When he was at his lowest, CJ Winslow decided to turn his focus to serving others. Before he knew it, he found a way to help thousands of foster families and folks in need—by bringing a Thanksgiving meal right to their doorsteps!
“How are you really doing?” a church friend asked CJ Winslow and his wife, Melinda, at the height of the 2008 recession.
Immediately, the Grapevine, Texas, couple broke down in tears as CJ explained that their small business—FoodTronix, a company that services mom-and-pop restaurants with computer systems— hadn’t seen any sales in months.
“It’s been a dark time,” CJ said in defeat. Suddenly, CJ remembered Rebekah Polling from Lutheran Social Services of the South—a local organization that helps foster families and children. She had come to his church recently to take up donations and gather volunteers to pass out school supplies and backpacks to foster kids in the area during a back-to-school event.
Maybe I should volunteer, he thought. It might lift my spirits to help others.
Soon after, CJ signed up to help at the event, and seeing the gratitude of the children and their foster parents, something powerful stirred inside CJ’s heart.
“Can I take on this event next year?” he asked Rebekah.
She happily handed the reins over to CJ, who immediately started planning more community events for Lutheran Social, even using the limited revenue coming in from FoodTronix to help fund them.
As word spread in the community about CJ’s efforts, a local restaurant owner gave him a key to use their kitchen anytime he’d like to prepare meals for foster families.
Before long, CJ, Melinda and their FoodTronix’s co-founder, Chris Mortimer, used the facilities to whip up a taco feast for a Foster Parent Appreciation dinner for 100 people.
This could really be something, CJ marveled as he looked around at the smiles on everyone’s faces.
Helping foster families remained forefront in CJ’s mind and, later that fall, when Rebekah asked him if he’d help deliver boxes of groceries for Thanksgiving, he asked, “Just the groceries? Why not the whole meal? Melinda and Chris will help me cook everything!”
Feeling enthusiastic, CJ compiled a list of 700 volunteers—many of whom offered donations and were willing to help deliver the meals.
Within days, he also developed a system that allowed families in need to fill out a survey requesting whether they’d like just groceries, a frozen meal that can be reheated or a hot meal ready to serve.
Then CJ sent an email to the volunteers who each “adopted” a family and delivered the requested food items to their door throughout the week, and even on Thanksgiving Day.
Before he knew it, CJ was flooded with messages from grateful recipients. “I had tears coming up on Thanksgiving,” one foster mom called to say. “I have an autistic foster child, and I was having a panic attack about how I was going to get to Walmart to shop. You saved the day.”
Another said, “Now, I can focus on my family and do what I need to do. Thank you!”
I can’t believe we had the privilege of loving and serving 250 families, CJ thought as tears filled his own eyes in disbelief of their impact. I’m going to turn this into a nonprofit—I’ll call it Catering to Love!
Since that first year, Catering to Love (CateringToLove.org) has grown by leaps and bounds. Funded by generous donors and FoodTronix, which has since gained more business, they’re on track to throw 150 different events this year. Between serving unhoused people to Make-A-Wish quinceañeras to their annual Family Fall Festival to Thanksgiving meals, CJ and Catering to Love make a difference in the community year-round—and CJ is humbled.
“I’m so honored. I feel like I get more out of serving than they get out of the plate that’s being served to them. If you’re in a spot where you’re feeling down, go out and lift other people up,” CJ says. “I want people to see that they are not alone. Other people will come and respond with an open heart.”
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