"DtM has impacted me greatly! I began at DtM as an intern and was immediately exposed to Our Daily Bread's beautiful impact. It was incredible to witness the guests' gratitude from the biscuits, to the gravy, to the spoonfuls of sugar in their coffee. In their eyes: every. bit. mattered. I believed I was truly serving the Lord when interning at ODB."

“I decided to come on staff at Downtown Ministries after my internship because I really loved the impact I saw during my summer at DtM. During my time here, I grew a lot in my own faith and got to see firsthand how God works through serving the community. I loved being part of something that truly makes a difference in people’s lives. Serving alongside the team gave me a sense of purpose and joy that I didn’t want to walk away from. Coming on staff just felt like the natural next step to keep growing and giving back.”

“Interning at Downtown Ministries has been the highlight of my semester. Not only have I gotten the opportunity to give back to the Athens community, but I have learned so much about what it means to serve the kingdom in a working environment from nonprofit professionals. I have had the privilege of experiencing the real, behind the scenes work that goes into running a successful nonprofit organization and learning from amazing leaders that truly care for the communities they are a part of and serve. Not to mention the incredible relationships I have built within my intern cohort. The staff have invested in me, and in my experience, and helped to teach me and guide me along the way. I have truly loved getting to work at Our Daily Bread, building relationships with our guests and improving our processes for their benefit, and providing support at Downtown Academy. This has been the most wonderful three months and has truly affirmed my desire to work within the non-profit field in the future. I could not be more grateful for Downtown Ministries!”

"Interactions with guests, volunteers, staff, and other interns were the most valuable part of this internship to me. I gained invaluable wisdom learning from Ms. Betty, Tony, Cary, Wren, and Grace that I have applied not just to my internship, but also my life in general. Some ways this has manifested is me being more intentional in everything that I do, being more organized, and being more confident in my personal abilities."

“DtM has provided me with a space to form meaningful connections with the Athens community and has pushed me to grow professionally, spiritually, and personally in unprecedented ways. I have valued the relationships I have made with the guests that come to Our Daily Bread, and I look forward to maintaining those relationships on a weekly basis at Our Daily Bread's weekly Bible studies. Also, I have come to cherish my time with the students at Downtown Academy and I look forward to every time I can stop by to see them during the school day or at ASP. “

“Interning at Downtown Ministries over the past year has allowed me to witness firsthand what servant leadership truly looks like. As a student at the University of Georgia, it is easy to get wrapped up in the “university bubble," but that is not the reality for many families living in Athens-Clarke County. Programs like Our Daily Bread and Downtown Academy tangibly impact the food insecurity and educational gaps present in this community, which is why I chose to return for another semester. Jesus calls each of us to love and serve others, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity DtM has given me to live that out.”