In 1998, founder Rick Stoker began bringing food and supplies to homeless, runaway children in downtown Wilmington

In 1998, founder Rick Stoker began bringing food and supplies to homeless, runaway children in downtown Wilmington

This quickly grew to be a street outreach to people living under bridges and in the woods of our community, women and girls caught in the commercial sex industry and human trafficking, and to our local gangs.

Rick felt so compelled to fully immerse himself in the homeless community that he left his prestigious medical sales career and moved under a bridge in downtown Wilmington. He recalls the gut-wrenching cries of homeless women caught in a cycle of sex work to get their next “fix” that kept him awake all night. At that moment, he knew this seemingly-hidden community of homeless individuals in drug houses, under bridges, and on the sidewalks needed someone to offer hope and a way out. Later that year, he met Lee Anna Letino, who brought her experience in international development, and the two established a non-profit to bring tangible resources to the homeless community.

The Stokers and volunteers began having a Thursday night family-style dinner for the homeless

community that continues today. While building relationships with the most vulnerable members of the homeless community on the streets, the

Stokers quickly realized the best way to serve this community was by offering supportive housing to help individuals transition from the streets to

permanent housing.

In 2000, First Fruit Ministries opened a transitional housing program for women who had been rescued from trafficking and had no place to heal mentally and physically. This campus grew to offer supportive housing for women and families, an outreach center with showers, a laundromat, hot meals, and a medical clinic for the homeless community, and a food pantry. Through over 25 years of ministry, the Stokers have shared countless meals with the homeless, sat with victims of assault and trafficking while they reached rock-bottom and found the courage to seek help, and found housing solutions for hundreds of men, women, and families living on the streets.

Coffee & Connect

By First Fruit Ministries

Coffee & Connect

A Conversation about Homelessness & Human Trafficking in Wilmington, NC