No ‘Jesus,’ but still hope

Carolyn Hileman - The Voice* | June 9, 2008

STUART — When he walked into the House of Hope, retiree Bobbie Atnip was more concerned about the hunger in his belly than the omission of Jesus from the nonprofit organization’s new name.

For a couple of years, the long-haired, wizened man has stretched his limited income with free groceries from the food pantry on Bonita Street in Stuart’s Golden Gate neighborhood.

Whether it was called the Jesus House of Hope or simply House of Hope, he still left with a bag of canned goods and a loaf of bread.

“The name to me doesn’t make a whole lot of difference,” said Atnip, 63, of Port Salerno. “What they’re doing is great. They’re helping people just like me.

“I’m collecting Social Security, and it just barely pays the rent. So anything that helps me get some food on the table is super great.”

But to some, the 14-member board’s unanimous decision in March to do business without Jesus in the name is unforgivable. One volunteer has walked out, and others are sad, disappointed or just confused.

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