By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
What began as a moment of concern during a routine drive through Manchester has grown into a sustained, community-powered response that is feeding bodies, restoring dignity, and building connections across Adams County.
In mid-January, Dawne Sanderson Hamilton Peterson, a recently retired nurse practitioner who spent years working with the Adams County Health Department and overseeing inmate healthcare at the Adams County Jail, found herself face to face with a reality she could not ignore. After finishing a workout, she drove through town and recognized several familiar faces, people she had once treated while working in the jail system. The moment that ultimately pushed her to act came when she stopped for gas at Marathon and saw three people standing outside with everything they owned in backpacks.
“They can’t bring that backpack in,” Peterson said. “So they’re sitting there holding it, thinking, do I leave it out here and get everything I own stolen just to get warm and get some coffee, or do I remain cold?”
That choice, she said, should not have to exist.
Peterson called her husband, Tory Peterson, to tell him she felt compelled to do something. Within hours, the idea turned into action. Village officials, including Mayor Billie Jo Goodwin and Manchester Village Council, quickly approved the use of the Manchester Community Building at no cost. From the very first day the doors opened, Peterson was not alone. JoAnn Hilderbrand stepped in immediately, becoming a constant presence alongside Peterson and helping transform the building into a place of warmth, nourishment, and stability.
“At first I thought this was going to be three days for four hours,” Peterson said. “Then the weather started getting worse. Then it was eight hours. Now we’re at eleven hours a day, seven days a week.”
Throughout that expansion, Hilderbrand has been there daily, helping prepare food, serve meals, clean the space, greet visitors, and provide quiet support to those who walk through the doors. With the exception of Peterson herself, Hilderbrand has been the only volunteer present every single day since the effort began.
Inside the Manchester Community Building, the atmosphere is intentionally welcoming. Large slow cookers line the counters, filled with chili, chicken noodle soup, and other homemade meals. Fresh muffins are baked in batches, sandwiches assembled, and coffee kept hot throughout the day. The smell of home cooking fills the room, something Peterson and Hilderbrand both believe is just as important as the food itself.
“All of the food here is homemade,” Peterson said. “They get to sit here and smell home cooking.”
On one recent day, the kitchen served 34 people, beginning with multiple large slow cookers and still needing to prepare additional pots of soup, three batches of 16 muffins, and more than 60 sandwiches. Peterson and Hilderbrand worked side by side through the entire day, with Hilderbrand often staying late to help clean up, restock, and prepare for the next morning.
The kitchen has served people from Manchester and beyond. No one is turned away based on where they live or whether they identify as homeless. Some visitors are unhoused, while others are residents whose heating systems cannot keep up with dangerously cold temperatures.
“A lot of these houses are very old,” Peterson said. “Their heaters aren’t keeping up. This is for them, too.”
Beyond meals and warmth, the effort has become a hub for connection and support. Peterson’s background in healthcare and public service has allowed her to coordinate with OhioMeansJobs, Job and Family Services, social workers, and behavioral health professionals. Volunteers assist individuals who lack identification such as driver’s licenses or birth certificates, which often prevents them from accessing services. Hilderbrand has been deeply involved in this side of the work as well, helping track needs, organize supplies, and provide consistent, familiar presence for visitors navigating difficult circumstances.
The soup kitchen also played a role in Ohio’s annual Point in Time homeless count. Official state data lists only six homeless individuals in Adams County, a number Peterson said does not reflect what volunteers see daily. By hosting a meal during the designated count period, the Manchester site was able to safely collect names and data.
“That’s how we get grants and funding,” Peterson said. “If people don’t get counted, they don’t exist on paper.”
Community support has poured in since the doors opened. The Manchester Lions Club donated $250 toward the effort. Manchester Church of the Nazarene, led by Pastor Tony Watson, contributed $300 for supplies. Bible Baptist Church of West Union, Man Cross Church and True Cross Church of Aberdeen, and The Word Church in Cherry Fork all provided food, funds, or volunteers. Reverend Lewis Jackson and his wife have been regular helpers, often working alongside Peterson and Hilderbrand.
Venture Productions delivered food and hygiene supplies. Reach for Tomorrow provided blankets and socks. McCarty Excavating cleared snow so volunteers could safely reach the building, including clearing Hilderbrand’s driveway during one particularly severe storm. The Adams County Public Library, Adams County Probation Department, and Assistant Prosecutor Tyler Cantrell offered assistance and coordination as needs arose.
Peterson has emphasized transparency throughout the effort, keeping every receipt and documenting how donations are used. Contributions have ranged from monetary gifts to coats, food, and supplies. One donation, however, stands out above the rest.
“An older gentleman pulled out 85 cents and put it on the table,” Peterson said. “That was everything he had. That’s my biggest donation.”
Both Peterson and Hilderbrand have witnessed changes in those who return day after day. People who initially arrived withdrawn, intoxicated, or deeply depressed have begun taking better care of themselves. Some now help wipe tables, mop floors, and assist with cleanup in the evenings.
“They’ve been extremely grateful,” Peterson said.
Peterson hopes the effort sparks broader conversations about emergency preparedness in Manchester, including coordinated responses to extreme cold, flooding, or other crises. She credits the success so far to the collective effort and to the steady, behind-the-scenes work that keeps the doors open every day.
“This doesn’t happen without JoAnn,” Peterson said. “She’s been here from day one.”
For now, the Manchester Community Building remains open, offering hot meals, warmth, and human connection. Inside, Peterson and Hilderbrand continue working side by side, supported by a community that has come together to care for its neighbors, proving that compassion, when shared, can grow into something lasting.
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