Hayden’s Loaves of Love

In times of need, the Lord often provides His people with just enough to continue trusting in His provisions.

Story By: Alexa Tebben

Photos By: Tinika Bennett Photography

.

Amy Goss, CEO and managing partner of Star Staffing Solutions, has found a unique avenue to serve those who God brings to her workplace. In 2022, Amy created Hayden’s Loaves of Love, a ministry that blesses others with homemade baked goods.

For years, Amy has longed to help those in the community that lack the resources to have daily necessities. “I lived downtown Macon for four years and that was always heavy on my heart–making sure everybody had some food,” Amy says. During this time, she would often take food and water to the homeless in her efforts to help.

While reaching out to others always makes Amy feel good, she admits it is easy to grow discouraged in the fight against hunger. “You can get overwhelmed and feel like what you’re doing in your little spot is never going to make a dent in anything,” she says. However, with the Lord’s help, she believes we can make a difference wherever we are.

When Amy and her husband, Chad, created Star Staffing Solutions Agency, she knew she wanted to use their business for the glory of the Lord. Being dedicated to finding employment for those in need, Amy decided to take it one step further.

Mere months after starting their business, Amy began baking homemade bread to give to the people coming through the doors of their business. From each person seeking employment to the mailman, everyone who walks through their doors receives a home baked good and a bottle of water.

Amy packages the baked goods with a Hayden’s Loaves of Love logo and the John 6:35 Bible verse. The encouraging words of Jesus say, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me will not hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst. ”It is a beautiful reminder that God is our source of provision and the true giver of life.

“We want to give people what their body needs and their soul needs,” Amy says. Through this ministry, she is acting as the hands and feet of God as she serves the community in this unique way. Amy is blessed to see how this simple act is blessing the community one loaf of bread at a time.

When naming this initiative, Amy fondly turned to her granddaughter, Hayden, for inspiration. “When we started Hayden’s Loaves of Love, I wanted to make sure that the ministry was as pure and innocent as my two-year-old grandbaby,” she explains.

Amy’s daughter-in-law, Hayden’s mother, works for Star Staffing Solutions and often brings Hayden into the office. The little bundle of joy is described as a beacon of light that inspired Amy to bring that same light to others.

Shortly after starting this ministry, they created a Facebook page for Hayden’s Loaves of Love to share the good work the Lord is doing through their ministry. Through social media avenues and simple word of mouth, more and more people have learned of their ministry and the compassion in which they run their business.

Amy holds the words of God near to her heart believing Philippians 1:6...“God began a good work in you. And I am sure that He will carry it on until it is completed. That will be the day Christ Jesus returns.”

Day in and day out at Star Staffing Solutions, Amy meets people in desperate situations that pull on her heartstrings. “There are so many people that need positive hope and help,” she says. “We have such a need right here in this office–people that aren’t able to pay their bills and don’t know where their next paycheck is going to come from.”

Unfortunately, they cannot help employ every person that comes their way. But what they do leave them with is a delicious homemade goodie and a reminder of the Lord’s goodness. “We want to let them leave with hope and nutrition–something to make them happy.”

When Hayden’s Loaves of Love first launched, Amy was giving away 25 loaves of bread a week. That number grows each month, but the Lord provides a way for Amy to meet the demand. The rapid growth of the ministry and the number of people they reach is a testament to the Lord’s faithfulness.

While their work primarily resides at Star Staffing Solutions, Hayden’s Loaves of Love works in any way the Lord provides. “We have been contacted by other entities in the community that say, ‘Would you be interested in donating goodies for kids?’” Amy shares.

Through these additional avenues, Hayden’s Loaves of Love have blessed children in back-to-school drives and contributed to church fundraisers. Since the ministry’s founding, Amy has expanded her baking to include delicious treats such as brownies, red velvet cake, banana nut bread, and rice krispy treats.

Members of the community have expressed interest in donating to their cause, and a fellow business owner has supplied Hayden’s Loaves of Love with additional funding. Amy is touched by the generosity of all those involved.

Amy admits she was not an exceptional baker prior to starting this ministry. In fact, when the Lord gave her the idea, she doubted she was up to the task. However, God has been faithful in using her willingness for His good.

“As far as talents and abilities, God is going to take care of everything,” Amy promises. “There is not a time I have said, ‘Eggs are so expensive, maybe I shouldn’t do it for a couple of weeks.’ That has never entered my mind because I knew God would provide.” And He has.

Chad and Amy are confident that the Lord will continue the good work he started. As they draw up plans to expand Star Staffing Solutions, they intend to expand their ministry as well. “We are looking to open up a second location this year,” Amy says. “As we grow, Hayden’s Loaves of Love will grow.”

They are excited to continue trusting in the Lord’s will over their lives and the lives of those they seek to help . Every baked good they distribute serves to remind someone that the Lord is faithful, and He provides us our daily bread.