The Good Samaritan Inn

Today, we take a moment to remember Ms. JoAnne.

For the past few years, JoAnne volunteered alongside her daughter, Katy. Seeing the two of them walk through our doors together always brought a smile to our faces and reminded us of the special bonds that strengthen our community.

We send our thoughts and prayers to Katy and her family.
May Ms. JoAnne Rest in Peace.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ALL THROUGHOUT JUNE- SECOND PLEA

June is here, and while summer calendars are filling up with vacations, family gatherings, and fun in the sun, our need for volunteers is greater than ever. Today alone, nearly 300 people counted on Good Samaritan Inn for a meal. As summer schedules shift, we need volunteers to help ensure we can continue showing up for our community every day.

We still have many volunteer shifts that need to be filled this month, and we could use lots of extra hands in the kitchen to help keep meals going out to our community.

Every single day of the year, we rely on volunteers to help fill two important shifts:

🍽️ 9am-11am
Help prepare the daily meal by chopping ingredients, opening cans, making sandwiches, and packing sack lunches.

🥪 11am-1pm
Help serve lunch to patrons through our cafeteria-style line.

The dates we need help this month are listed in the photo, and many shifts remain unfilled.

No matter the season, Good Samaritan Inn continues to show up every day with a nutritious meal and a welcoming place for those who need it. If you've been looking for a meaningful way to give back this summer, now is the perfect time to join our volunteer team.

📞 Call 217-429-1455 or email Denise at [email protected] to sign up!

Thank you for helping us serve our community, one meal at a time.

Today is opening day for Mercy Market!
Come grab some local eats and treats to start your Saturday off right. Good Sam’s Mercy Gardens crew will be selling locally grown radishes, garlic scapes, kale, herbs, and native plant starts.
There will be a bounce house for the kids and live music starting around 10am.
The fun starts today, Saturday June 6th at 8am, down at Preston Jackson Park- see you there!

🌱 Mercy Market's Opening Day is almost here! 🌱

The countdown is on, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back this Saturday June 6th for the first market of the 2026 season!

Join us as we kick off another summer of supporting local growers, makers, and producers while bringing fresh food and community together. Whether you're stocking up on farm-fresh vegetables, shopping for locally raised meats, enjoying live music, or simply catching up with friends and neighbors, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

We'll have a bounce house for the kids, plenty of fresh locally grown produce, meats, baked goods, vendors, music, and so much more to help us celebrate the start of market season.

Bring the family down and help us make Opening Day one to remember. We can't wait to see you at Mercy Market and start another great season together! 🌽🥕🎶☀️

Thank you to Dollar General for volunteering in the gardens this month! 🌱

We are incredibly grateful for the support of new volunteers who have helped us keep things growing as our gardens continue to expand. Every helping hand plays a part in strengthening access to fresh, local food in our community.

If you enjoy getting your hands dirty and want to help support local food systems, we would love to have you join us! Email Denise at [email protected] or call 217-429-1455 to sign up for a volunteer shift.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to Belinda! 🎉🫧

This is Belinda’s second time working with us, and we are especially grateful that this round has brought a full year of her steady presence to our team.

Belinda is quiet, dependable, and consistently willing to do what needs to be done day in and day out. She brings a calm reliability to the kitchen that keeps things moving smoothly behind the scenes. Her consistency and communication are two qualities we deeply value, and we know we can count on her every day.

Dishwashing may not always be the spotlight role, but it is one of the gears that keeps the whole machine turning. Plates get cleaned, meals keep moving, and our guests continue to be served with care because of hardworking people like Belinda.

Thank you, Belinda, for helping keep our facility clean, our kitchen running, and our patrons fed. We’re thankful for you! 💙

We are always grateful when this wonderful group comes to volunteer!

Thanks for serving the community with us Golden K Kiwanis Club of Decatur

Golden K Kiwanis Club of Decatur at The Good Samaritan Inn on Tuesday, May 26th

This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice is woven into the freedoms we experience each day, and we are deeply grateful.

As many gather with family and friends this holiday, we also recognize that some in our community may still be in need of a warm meal and a welcoming place to visit.

Good Samaritan Inn will be open on Memorial Day from 11:30am-1:00pm, serving lunch to anyone in need. No questions asked. All are welcome at the table.

Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day.

Just two weeks until Mercy Market returns! ☀️🌽🎶

We are excited to bring local growers, bakers, and makers together for a great start to your Saturdays all summer long.

One of the things we are most proud of, and the whole reason we started the market, is the ability to provide LINK benefits to market shoppers.

At every market, there is a LINK booth set up where shoppers can swipe their card and receive tokens to purchase many types of foods from eligible vendors. As an added bonus, each dollar swiped will be matched with a voucher that can be used to purchase produce.

These benefits extend beyond Mercy Market to the Decatur Central Park Farmers Market, the Richland Farmers Market, and even markets in Champaign, Urbana, Monticello, and Danville, helping more families bring fresh, local food to their tables.

Fresh produce, homemade goods, live music, and a community that believes everyone deserves access to healthy food... summer Saturdays are almost here, and we cannot wait to welcome you back to Mercy Market! 🌱🥕🛍️

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR JUNE

June has arrived and summer calendars are filling up fast ☀️🎶
With vacations and travel plans underway, we currently have several volunteer openings and would love some extra hands in the kitchen this month!

Every single day of the year, we fill two important volunteer shifts to help keep meals going out to our community.

🍽️ 9am-11am
Help prepare the daily meal by chopping ingredients, opening cans, making sandwiches, and packing sack lunches.

🥪 11am-1pm
Help serve lunch to patrons through our cafeteria-style line.

The dates we need help this month are listed in the photo, and many of the dates marked “urgent” currently have no volunteers scheduled.

No matter the season, Good Samaritan Inn will continue showing up with a daily, nutritious meal and a welcoming place for those who need it. If you’ve been looking for a way to help your community, this is a great time to jump in and join the crew. 💚

Call 217-429-1455 or email Denise at [email protected] to sign up!