Verna and Charlie Jones have retired from Care Station after 35-years of service, but they are quick to tell you they will never quit serving those who need it most through Care Station.
A drive-by parade was held for the Jones Thursday and the community was urged to gather and line up at the Old Harvest Food parking lot across from the Downtown Fire Station on Desoto Avenue. The parade proceeded down Third Street at 1 p.m. sharp. The Jones were under an awning-tent at the Care Station.
While Care Station organizers are urging people to give something to the Jones, Verna and Charlie are asking you donate something to Care Station instead.
“We have been so blessed to be part of a ministry that allowed us to feed hungry people, get to know them and lead them to the Lord,” said Rev. Charlie Jones, who has always worked a regular job, but volunteered countless hours at Care Station.
Verna was one of the first people hired to cook when Care Station opened its door 35 years ago.
“I’ve always worked and when they approached me about working at this thing they were going to call Care Station, I knew it was right for me,” said Verna. “They said they were looking for two cooks. I was one of them.”
And while countless cooks have come and gone, Verna Jones has been faithful to – quite literally – serving the hungry of Clarksdale.
Both Verna and Charlie unashamedly said God has allowed them to show the love of Jesus through Care Station to a hurting and hungry world.
“You can’t feed people spiritually if they are hungry physically,” said Verna. “I can’t tell you how many times we fed someone, got to know them, shared our faith and showed them our strength through Jesus Christ; and their life changed.”
Charlie said the choice is always the individuals and Jesus’ if they want change in their life.
“But Care Station brought those people to us and we brought them to Jesus,” said Charlie. “It’s great to feed someone that is hungry, it’s even greater to meet a need that changes their life.”
Charlie was known to carry his wife to work at Care Station every morning. He was the one lifted and set up chairs, brought heavy food bags to the cooks and handled the little maintenance jobs around the building. And then he went to his real job as a mechanic.
The Jones said working at Care Station was always a blessing. They admitted they got tired and not every day was a good day, but they realized what they were doing always made a difference in someone’s life.
The Jones also talked about the people who worked with them at Care Station.
“Everybody down there has a job and feels the same way we do about it,” said Verna. “We are not one bit different from those who buy the food, set the schedule, handle the walk-ins or carry the meals to the shut-in. Everyone has a part to play and it’s what makes Care Station feed hungry people in Clarksdale.”
Founded by a group of concerned citizens of Clarksdale as a non-profit organization in 1987, the goal of Care Station is to provide nourishment for the physical and spiritual needs of Clarksdale.
Clarksdale Care Station, through the use of volunteers and a long list of faithful donors, delivers meals each week to 150-170 needy persons in Clarksdale. In addition, walk-ins are fed in the dining room.
Care Station’s stated mission is to feed the sick and shut-in's by providing meals to needy persons. Meals are provided at the Care Station, through their kitchen and delivery program. “In addition,” says their mission statement, “we feed their souls with God's word delivered daily by local pastors.”
Verna talked of mean people who slowly had their hearts melted by Care Station meals. Charlie talked of people bound by addiction that got involved in a church and got help.
They said Care Station will never be able to solve all the problems, but testified they have seen it solve problems in hundreds of lives.
Charlie smiled and said he always thinks of the kid he spotted on the railroad track one day skipping school. He said he fed him breakfast, got to know him and got to where he would carry him to school.
“He moved away and I always wondered what happened,” said Charlie. “One day he drove up in a big truck and stepped out and was over 6-feet tall. He told me how we made a difference. He thanked me and drove off.”
Verna leaned in at that point. “That why we do this,” she explained. “We are the ones getting the blessing.”
