12/27/2025
“He looked at me and said, ‘If God has called you to do it, He will provide. You need to step into this.”
“My name is Hank Workman. I’m a business owner downtown at The Mercantile and I’m also a pastor here in Columbia City. Back in 2009, when I started The Warehouse Church, we decided our mission was simple: we wanted to meet people where they were and make a real difference.
At the time, I honestly didn’t even think we had a poverty issue in Whitley County. And then my eyes started opening. I’d be driving through Columbia City and see things I never thought I’d see here; someone pushing a shopping cart full of clothes down Main Street. That’s big city stuff. You didn’t see that here. Ever. But I was seeing it. Over and over.
Our church didn’t have a building. We were meeting wherever we could. Apartment community rooms, the Whitley County 4-H Museum, anywhere that would let us gather. We didn’t have money. I wasn’t even being paid by the church; I was working as an apartment manager and doing banquet work at the Marriot just to get by.
I started feeling this pull so strongly: we needed to meet people who were less fortunate, people who were struggling financially. One night, after we’d just been told our church basically had no money, I stood up in front of our group of about 40 people and said, ‘I feel like we need to start a feeding program.’ I almost didn’t even say it, given the conversation regarding our finances we had just had. We didn’t have a kitchen, a space, a pot—nothing. Just the idea. And they all said, ‘We will feed them.’
As we were leaving that night, something happened that I’ll never forget. An older man came walking around the corner with what looked like a tree branch for a walking stick. He looked dirty. He looked like someone experiencing homelessness. He reminded me of people I’d seen on mission trips in big cities, people you don’t expect to see here. He asked what was going on inside, and I told him we were a church and that we were talking about starting a feeding program, but we didn’t have any money.
He looked at me and said, ‘If God has called you to do it, He will provide. You need to step into this.’
I thanked him, offered him food, and he declined. I walked to my car, literally from the door to my trunk, and when I turned back around, he was gone. Just gone. Like he vanished out of thin air. I never saw him again.
That was the nudge we needed, especially because once we stepped into it, we ran into obstacle after obstacle. Health department requirements. Finding a space. Getting everything up to grade. It felt impossible at times. But that moment gave us the courage to keep going.
And then the miracles started coming. Cebolla's in Fort Wayne heard that we were starting a feeding program, and they donated their four-bay sink. We only needed a three-bay sink, but we got a four-bay. That was just one of the many miracles that began showing up for us.
That’s how The Forklift was born in 2010.
We eventually found a home at The Center for Whitley County, who graciously allows us to use their kitchen and space. We don’t pay rent. We don’t pay utilities. Their generosity makes what we do possible. In November 2010, we opened our doors.
From day one, the intention was always the same: a homemade meal. A full plate. No cold sandwiches. No questions asked. No strings attached. We don’t ask for income. We don’t care what car you drive. Our mantra has always been, ‘Here’s a little bit of Jesus for you. We’re going to love people where they are and let Jesus do the rest.’
Everything we do is volunteer-run. Our cooks are here by 8:30 in the morning and stay until about 5:30 at night. They prep on weekends. They plan weeks ahead. None of them are paid. They do this because they care. Then around 3:30 on Monday afternoons, volunteers arrive to help package meals and get ready for distribution. We can serve hundreds of people in under 45 minutes because of a system and because of people who show up faithfully.
Every Monday from 4:30 to 5:30, meals are served as carryout. People can pre-order through our page, using SignUpGenius, or they can simply drive up and ask for what they need. Walk-ups are always welcome. If you need five meals, you get five meals. No questions.
Over the years, we’ve served thousands of meals. People have met here, fallen in love here. I even officiated a wedding for a couple who met at The Forklift. During COVID, we didn’t stop. We shifted. We cooked and packed meals so families could eat for days. And today, the need is bigger than ever. In November alone, we served over 1,400 meals. Some weeks we’re feeding nearly 300 people in one night.
This was always about addressing poverty in our community—people who are struggling, people who never thought they’d need help, people who just need to know someone cares. And as long as there’s a need, we’ll keep showing up.”
The Forklift is located inside The Center for Whitley County Youth at 201 W Market Street, Columbia City, Indiana. Meals are served every Monday at 4:30 pm. To sign up for a meal, please visit their page for details.
To read more on The Forklift, check out the full story on our Blog. Link in comments 🔗👇🏻
