Love & Care Ministries

Serving the Homeless & Poor in Abilene, Merkel, Clyde and Anson Texas

Volunteering at Love & Care is a need all year. Church groups, Life groups, individual and community is always welcome.

When you think about making a donation to Love & Care whether large or small it is always received in a grateful way. If you have any questions, please call us.

Partnerships are something that Love & Care has been doing from day one. And is always looking to partner to further God’s kingdom.

31 YEARS

OF EXPERIENCE

About Us.

Love & Care Ministries began as a vision in June 1994 that God placed in the hearts of two men who were called to minister to the homeless in their community Abilene, Texas. God led these men to the streets, under bridges, down allies, and in abandon buildings where they found people in desperate need. With the mighty armor of prayer and twenty large cups of hot soup, they hit the streets that first Sunday in January 1995 serving five meals from the back of a pickup truck.

As these men pressed forward in the vision God showed them that ministering to the homeless was only a small part of what they were suppose to do. He showed them that they were too minister to the poor across the community as well. Each Sunday they would go feed, love, and share the name of Jesus with all those in need that they could find. After about 2 years of serving a few changes began to take place. The Holy Spirit began to show more of the vision to Mark and how he was to leave his regular job and serve at Love & Care full time and also start a homeless church.

The ministry continued to grow and serving on the street is a major role but so much more has been added. Realizing many didn’t have the financial resources to make each day, the first food pantry and clothing ministry opened in September of 1997. These were small closets feeding and clothing a few families each week.

Daily Services

His Street Ministry

Since 1995 the street ministry continues to reach out each week across the community and Rural communities feeding, ministering, and loving people unconditionally.

His Food Pantry

Since 1997 the food pantry has grown into one of the largest FOOD ministries meeting the community’s needs.

His Clothing

After giving clothes away from a garage Love & Care opened their first clothing ministry in September 1997 with one shower

His Dining Room

As Love & Care continued in the vision serving meals on the street and serving food boxes 10 years later with much prayer God

WE WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN HELP

This is a true introduction to what it is like to be homeless on the street other than sleeping on the street. This ministry takes you as close as possible to understanding that homelessness to something extremely difficult for anyone to do.

Outreach

Day and Night Strikes

“And the Lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

Luke 14:23

This weekly outreach was originally how the ministry began providing love, prayer, food, drinks, clothing and warm items. The street is a place where we can go and get to the heart of people and build relationships.

Annual Revival - October

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark 16:15

This annual Revival started in a Tent in 1995 with a few people. It grew each year and was held there for 19 years. This outreach ministry reaches all walks of life. Each night Love & Care provides a hot meal, clothing, haircuts, spiritual foot care, nail polishing, and much more. In 2015 God opened another door to move the Revival in the Convention Center, which gave the outreach many ways of expanding.

Mission Thanksgiving

“If one of your brethren becomes poor and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or sojourner, that he may live with you.”

Leviticus 25:35

In 1999 Arrow Ford approached Love & Care about an annual “fund raiser”, which began in the parking lot of Arrow Ford. From 7:00 am to 7:00 pm the Friday before Thanksgiving the Abilene community has the opportunity to come together and help Love & Care with non-perishable canned goods, all types of clothing, and monetary donations that help open and sustain multiple facilities at our campus. This great event benefits thousands of homeless and poor throughout our city each year. This fundraiser has now expanded into Merkel, Clyde, and Anson.

Life on the Streets

“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.”

Deuteronomy 15:11

This is a supervised outreach, where we walk out the life of the homeless through scripture and teach young or old that this is not camping, but real life to so many. Through the journey we go into homeless camps and under bridges to minister, feed, and share the love of Jesus.

Carepack For Kids

In October of 2018, we were attending a prayer summit south of Abilene and Dr. Young, the superintendent for Abilene ISD came to share prayer concerns for the schools. One issue he shared was weekend food insecurity for kids in this area and the need for a better solution to take care of this rather large need. When Love & Care heard there was a food need for children, we simply responded that we wanted to help. After weeks of prayer and understanding how this should work, we started CarePack for Kids. In the first school year we served 360 packs every Friday to Abilene ISD. Over time 9 more school Districts around the Abilene area joined on and now six years later in 2024-2025 we sent out 81793 CarePacks, over 2,200 packs every Friday.