By Taylor M. Coffman
Herald Correspondent
Sanford is built on community, and no one knows that better than Rose Davis, who is celebrating 31 years of service with Brethren Reaching Out and says that community is the secret to hers - and her ministry’s - success.
Founded by Davis herself over three decades ago, Brethren Reaching Out is a local community outreach ministry focused on helping low-income families, children, homeless people, and the elderly, along with anyone else at risk of “falling through the cracks.” Over the years, Davis herself has worked tirelessly to offer local residents rides to and from doctors appointments, work to keep teenagers out of crime, and what food and supplies she can give. Run out of the 3rd Street home-slash-headquarters the community provided her, the ministry is aimed at helping locals on a personal level.
Despite the work she’s put in over the decades, Davis is adamant that it would be “impossible” to accomplish what she does by herself. For years, the ministry has partnered with Lakeside United Methodist Church, Ethnos360 (formerly New Tribes Mission), the Joe & Sarah Galloway Foundation, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office to provide assistance and services, including counseling, tutoring, and prayer, to those in need, whether they’re suffering from a long-term need or some kind of emergency.
Four times a year, the ministry and its partners host larger events for the ministry’s anniversary, a back-to-school event for children and families, a luncheon for law enforcement and fire department, and a Christmas party which - according to Davis - also serves as a makeshift reunion for everyone involved with the ministry.
When asked about the most important part of Brethren Reaching Out, Davis replied that the key to the ministry’s work is community togetherness. “One of us is not as powerful as all of us together,” she said. “We’re supposed to love one another and support each other, [especially] those that are hurting and those that are going through tragedies.” Additionally, Davis has said that with everything becoming more expensive recently, Brethren Reaching Out has seen an increase in the number of families that need support to keep food on the table, “but this little community over here, we work together pretty good.”
For anyone interested in offering assistance, Davis has confirmed that while Brethren Reaching Out does take financial donations, the amount of supplies she can take is limited by a lack of space. Anyone interested in assisting the ministry can send donations to 201 Avocado Ave, Sanford, FL 32771 or P.O. Box 465, Sanford, FL, 32771.
