MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — For a Manatee County couple, feeding others while spreading love and encouragement is a daily routine.

For Christine Monroe-Loomes and Ian Loomes, is starts with a prayer.

“Lord, heavenly Father we just thank you so much lord for the abundance of blessings that you give our ministry each week,” Christine Monroe-Loomes said in her daily prayer. “Our volunteers that come out just faithfully to serve every day.”

Every Wednesday at the Bradenton Riverwalk, members of the downtown ministry can be found there offering food, love and encouragement to all.

Nine years ago, Christine Monroe-Loomes and husband Ian began the non-profit Downtown Ministries, a community supported ministry which serves not just the homeless but anyone mainly in the downtown area.

“Sharing bag lunches and cold drinks with anyone and everyone we run into and just kind of spreading some joy and love in our community,” Christine said.

And running into some old friends and plenty of hugs along the way.

 “People all coming up saying hi, thank you,” Ian said. “We meet a lot of the same people every week.”

And the couple is always busy on Saturdays as many as 250 people are treated to a good hot breakfast.

Christine and Ian met as pen-pals as a police officer in Michigan and then St. Petersburg and he across the pond as a “bobby” in England.

They’ve been married now 30 years.

So if you happen to be near Riverwalk on a Wednesday, keep an eye out for these wonderful warriors.