On Tuesday, King 5 reporter Chris Cashman televised a fun story of a generous family, Tay and Candice Crull, who have for the last few years sponsored a food drive at their home.
The draw? A donor has the opportunity to vote — does the turkey get the hatchet or a pardon? The decision of the donors will be revealed Wednesday at 3:00 PM at the Crull home in Normandy Park.
The recipient of the donations is Transform, an organization started by a group of local pastors 20 years ago to address the needs of the vulnerable. The Cashman story spurred me to go and talk with Interim Executive Director Greg Henken to find out what motivates the team of volunteers and himself as the Director.
Greg was effusive about his faith and what God has done in his heart through Transform. Greg came as a volunteer and still thinks of himself as such. He is willing to do whatever is needed, drive the truck, cook, clean, pass out food, or do any other task to fulfill the mission of being Jesus’s hands and feet to the vulnerable. “I did not start with compassion when I first came to help one Sunday a month. I was too caught up in my own issues. But when COVID came, I found my compassion growing. I started to know people I had not seen in Burien, the homeless. I began calling them by name. Now I feel at home here, serving with a happy heart.” Said Henken.
Transform seeks to be a conduit of the love of Jesus for the community. Greg and the team are with people who many would say “do not matter.” There are 35-40 volunteers who donate 2 to 20 hours per week. They help with food preparation, serve meals, and run the food and clothing bank. Alongside the volunteer team, there are pastors, priests, and rabbis who all support the work and serve together. About 80% of the guests, what Greg affectionately calls “those they serve,” come from Burien and Seatac.
“The faithfulness of Jesus, spending time with Him in this building, seeing Him walk the halls is a great joy,” said Henken. This joy has spread in his heart for all of Burien, which he has come to love. His biggest surprise is the love “Jesus has put into my heart for this place, for these people,” he reflected.
This Thanksgiving week, Transform is providing meals to those in need on Wednesday, November 23, from Noon to 2 PM and Sunday, November 27th, from 3 PM – 5 PM.
As I thanked Henken for his work, he replied simply, “We serve it, He provides it.” A fitting expression of faith-based compassion that Transform is founded on.
