Bertha’s Mission was named in honor of my mother Bertha Sterling. Both my mom and dad were the former owners of Chuck’s Soulfood for 12 years, where I, many family members and friends worked.

After the passing of my parents the latest being my mother on November 10, 2012. I had to figure out what to do with the family restaurant, and through prayer God spoke mission. This was a big question mark for me, because at the time my daughter and I were students at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis, and I had recently returned from studying abroad in China and London over the summer; envisioning pursuing my enrollment into the Master’s Program at either Indiana University Purdue University or Indiana University Bloomington, somewhere all I planned on was continuing my education. My daughter Patshawna was entering her junior year in the School of Social Work, life was great! I was focused on my child and myself and let me not forget my sister Johanna all of our lives changed.

Never did I think or consider that I was going to lose my mother, my sister, my pillar, my advisor, my all and all. So when I did, I was angry, hurt, lost, confused, and alone, my world was rocked, I felt like the rug of life had been pulled from my feet. How could he take the very people who did this mission for 12 years?

So I kept praying and again he mentioned mission and from there he started connecting the pieces for me. I promised God that if a mission was what he wanted then it was up to him to provide the resources, connections, financial support and most of all knowledge. On September 3, 2013 I started walking in radical faith, and I promised I would be there. On September 17, 2013 we served our first guest and from that day and agreement many have joined us, encouraged us, supported us, prayed for us and contributed in many different ways.

Our motto is Matthew 25:35-36 and taking great pride in that we promise the community that we will not serve what we will not eat, we will treat you with dignity and respect, pray with you and for you, treat you like family.