957 Mobile Café Ten Year Celebration set May 3

(Updated May 1, 11:01 a.m., to correct start date of Mobile Café service in Ellendale, which will begin May 9.)

Mike Richmond, director of the 957 Mobile Café in Taylorsville, is thankful the food outreach ministry is turning ten years old this spring.

957 Mobile Café Inc. was founded in 2015 with the support and dedication from the leadership and members of Crosspoint Church through volunteering or financial support.

The organization’s name comes from the Scripture in Luke 9:57, “As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’”

Richmond recalls finding the truck for the food outreach in Richmond, VA. However, its engine was blown. The church gave the money to purchase the truck and Richmond’s employer gave the Mobile Café a truck with high mileage but a good engine. Volunteers pulled the body off the purchased truck and put it on the running chassis. Church member Jason Lackey painted the truck and another member reupholstered the worn out truck seats. Wayne Parmenter, a children’s book illustrator, composed the logo for the Mobile Café.

Hickory Soup Kitchen’s director helped Richmond with a checklist of items needed to begin the food outreach: volunteers, a budget, promotions, etc.

A food truck challenge donation at Crosspoint Church brought in about $14,000 for the outreach for insurance, food, and funding to begin the Mobile Café.

Local churches, including Taylorsville Presbyterian, Reformation Lutheran, St. Luke Lutheran, Macedonia Baptist, East Taylorsville Baptist, and others helped Crosspoint staff the ministry.
The 957 Mobile Café, Inc. served its first meal on May 11, 2015—a Wednesday—at the Christian Crisis Center Food Bank in Taylorsville, with 35 meals provided by the Hickory Soup Kitchen.

As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (EIN: 47-4706580), its mission is clear: providing hope—one meal at a time.

First United Methodist applied for and received a $75,000 matching Duke Endowment grant used to purchase industrial kitchen equipment.

Since then, the Mobile Café’s impact has grown steadily:
• August 4, 2015: Began serving every Thursday at Hiddenite Community Helpers.
• June 1, 2016: Introduced sit-down meals at The Café and started supplying our own meals for the 957 Mobile Café truck, with continued support from the Hickory Soup Kitchen.
• August 2, 2016: Initiated a once-a-month Tuesday service at the Stony Point Christian Ministries Food Bank. Also a Men’s Group started meeting the first Saturday of every month offering a breakfast.
• September 2016: Service at Stony Point Christian Ministries expanded to two Tuesdays each month.
• May 2017: Expanded service to every Tuesday at Stony Point Christian Ministries and every Thursday at Hiddenite Community Helpers.
• August 2, 2018: Service expanded to three days a week at the Café and three days a week on the Mobile Café truck.
• January 4, 2019: Launched a fourth day service day at The Café in downtown Taylorsville.
• March 2020: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Café increased its service to five days a week, to-go meals only.
• January 2021: Started Kitchen Renovations and served to-go meals at the First UMC of Taylorsville.

• May 2021: Started serving out of the new kitchen, to-go meals only.
• June 2021: The Café opened to a dine-in meal for all patrons.
• June 2022: The Café started serving one Saturday a month with support of local churches.
• June 2023: The Café started serving two Saturdays a month with support of local churches.
• May 2025: The Mobile Café Truck will start serving meals on Fridays at Ellendale Community’s Crosspoint Church. Beginning Friday, May 9, 2025, 957 Mobile Café will provide free meals every Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Crosspoint Church, located at 5860 US 64 Hwy. 90 West, Taylorsville. Meals will be served in the front parking lot of the church.

Where Mobile Café serves
• The Café at 54 E. Main Ave.: Open five days a week.
• Additional Service: On the third and fourth Saturdays each month through partnerships with Mt. Carmel Baptist and Unity Baptist. First Saturday Plowmen Men’s Group serves breakfast and a lesson.
• 957 Mobile Truck: Operates four days a week, serving: Stony Point Christian Ministries, Hiddenite Community Helpers, Christian Crisis Center, and Ellendale Community (Crosspoint Church).

On average, Mobile Café provide 3,500 meals per month, with the dedication of our over 70 volunteers, contributing roughly 480 hours monthly.

Richmond acknowledged the following people for having the same passion for the food ministry that he has: Angie Bryan, Amy Fox, Chris Meade, Jeff Pope, Chad Ritchie, Mike and Robin Toddhunter, Angela Robbins, Josh Sherfey, Jack St. Clair, Armin Chapman, Rhonda Cagle, Babs and Mark Odom, Dwaine and Nancy Coley, Helen Chestnut, Janet Linney, Pat and Reita Bryant, Rita DeJarnette, Judy Wilson, Debbi Hollingsworth, Austin Pierce, the team at Reformation Lutheran, and the team at St. Luke Lutheran.

Special celebration May 3
On Saturday, May 3, during the Apple Blossom Festival, 957 Mobile Café will hold a 10 Year Celebration at the Mobile Café, 54 East Main Ave. Breakfast starts at 6 a.m. with lunch at 12 noon. A $2,000 raffle ticket drawing will begin at 12 noon, with one ticket drawn per hour through 3 p.m.

To volunteer or donate, contact [email protected] or call Mike Richmond, 704-880-8292.