As others throw away leftovers, restauranteur Paulette Johnson is feeding America’s homeless

Dallas restauranteur Paulette Johnson is guided by Proverbs 22:9, which reads: “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”

Inspired by the aforementioned, Johnson who owns Trucker’s Cafe at 1910 Martin Luther King, Blvd. in South Dallas, shuts down every Monday when most restaurants on that day are busy and filled with loads of customers trooping in and out.

Johnson shuts down every Monday to uphold Proverb 22:9 by reserving that day to homeless folks to come and dine and wine.

The restaurant fills up quickly when she opens her doors, but everyone is given a number so they can receive a hot plate of Southern cuisine – no matter how packed the dining area may be no one is turned away, according to The Black Detour.

There are an estimated 553,742 people in the United States experiencing homelessness on a given night, according to the most recent national point-in-time estimate (January 2017).

This represents a rate of approximately 17 people experiencing homelessness per every 10,000 people in the general population.

According to endhomelessness.org, from 2016 to 2017, homelessness increased nationally by 0.7 percent.

The largest increases were among unaccompanied children and young adults (14.3 percent increase), individuals experiencing chronic homelessness (12.2 percent increase), and people experiencing unsheltered homelessness (9.4 percent increase).

But the number of people in families experiencing homelessness decreased by 5.2 percent.

At the Trucker’s Café, they are given a hot meal, clothes, shoes, toiletries. 

“I just feel blessed that somebody is out here to care, people like us,” Barbara Jameson told ABC 8 WFAA.

Johnson’s heart always gets flooded with excitement whenever Monday comes for that’s the day she gets to feed the needy as the scripture ordered.

“There’s no word, I just feel good,” Johnson told ABC 8 WFAA. “I will been aching all day in the morning, feet everything, dealing with my health, but once I see these guys, all that goes away.”

Johnson had been homeless before. She grew up in a battered women’s shelter. 

“I just thank God for waking me up, do what I do today. Because I know people out here struggling every day,” Johnson said, through tears. “It’s still hard for me, but I’m just worried about everybody that I could help. It’s just me, and if I can help and put smiles on people’s face, that’s all I need.”