Rakita Ames learned about love while cooking alongside her grandmother, who was always happy to help whenever folks were hungry in her Washington, D.C., neighborhood.

Familiar comfort foods — fried chicken, grits, collard greens, macaroni and cheese — were favorites with family members as well as neighbors. It was a way of filling bellies and touching hearts, Ames said. “People call this soul food, but I saw for myself how it really was food for the soul and that’s stayed with me all this time,” she said.

“She always saw that neighborhood kids and their families were fed. I would see people come in and out of her house all the time because they didn’t know where their next meal was coming from. So I would watch her generous spirit and how much she gave of herself,”

"Lady Jays Catering & Restaurant brings bespoke comfort foods that are well known from Lady Jays Catering Service (parent company) located in Martinsburg West Virginia! We are bringing our AWARD WINNING Soul Food to Hagerstown MD to our NEW brick and mortar! ! We are not just filling bellies, but also filling hearts with the love of God! We look forward to serving you and feeding you some delicious food just like grandma used to. We are still providing catering services for private and corporate events that will delight and inspire. We focus on quality and flavor, and comfort! Our food is designed with all diets in mind! We offer our SOUL FOOD Cuisine, Gluten Free options, Vegetarian options, Keto friendly, etc. We also provide, family meal options and our version of “meals on wheels”, directly from our kitchen to yours.

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GOD WE THANK YOU! "For with God, nothing shall be impossible"!