She says God told her to feed the homeless: 'I shut the catering business down the next day'

ATLANTA - A DeKalb County caterer shut down her successful business and decided to make a real difference in thousands of people's lives by feeding the homeless on the streets of metro Atlanta.

Across the country, more families are feeling the effects of harsher economic conditions.

Those who think that there seems to be more homeless people on the streets of metro Atlanta, a homeless advocate says they are right.

"It was a booming catering business. God woke me up at 2 in the morning and I said, ‘Yes Lord?’ And he said, ‘Feed my people,’ and I shut the catering business down the next day," said Teresa Hamilton, affectionately called Lady T.

It is now 27-years later, and Lady T has been hugging and helping people who live on the streets of metro Atlanta for decades.

However, this homeless advocate is different. She has devoted her life to helping those who are sick, out of a job, or have nowhere to go.

"The numbers are growing. It is a different flavor of homeless people now. Back in the day, it was just some alcoholics or somebody on drugs, now we have whole families living in parks.

Lady T has a hot meal, be it soup or a dinner plate, and more importantly encouragement.

She and a few volunteers feed 900 people a week, hitting the streets three times.

"This is one set of people, and we have three or four other sets of people. We got tent city. We got prostitute lane. We got crack city. And we got gang land," she said. "People don't understand, even though they are in gangs, they are still homeless."

Many of those she encounters are grateful.

"She smiles. She treats me like a human being. Most people look at homeless persons as bad, and we are not all bad, Joel Kirkland said. "He has been homeless for three months," one person she helped said.

"As far as Miss T, she saved my life," Tanisha Holcomb revealed. Ms. Holcomb is from Cleveland and said she was robbed of everything she had. Her hope now, with the help of Lady T, is to get back on her feet and head home. 

The 68-year-old Chicago native says she needs help, donations are down, and she is having to spend her own money.

"I do care. I understand, and I have a heart for other people who are less fortunate. We need lots and lots of help. We need lots and lots of volunteers. We need financial support always," she said.

If you would like to help Lady T and her homeless ministry, log on to her website at ladythomeless.com or call her at 404-316-0774.