Why "More Than A Relish?" What "more" is there to this recent start-up in the heart of Norfolk's inner-city?

For owner Colleen James, the bottom line is more than money. She also wants to profit (or as she might say, "bless") the lives of the people who work with her. So along with a paycheck she adds liberal dashes of mentoring and encouragement.

A strong Christian, Colleen believes that elbow grease and prayer oil the gears of growth, and that God will provide the wisdom and resources she needs.

Case in point: to get her business off the ground, Colleen required a kitchen certified for food production. We're talking big-time expense here–unless she could plug into an existing facility. But where would she find such a place? Right down the street, so it happened. The pastor of nearby Park Place Baptist Church invited her to use their professional kitchen when the time came to refresh her stock. Amen!

So far Colleen's staff is small, like the acorn's promise of an oak tree. Norma Wyatt (in photos) is Colleen's second hire and, for now, her sole employee. Not surprisingly, after hours spent working side by side the two have become more than employer and employee. They have also become friends. (Update: In 2007 Norma discovered she needed a kidney transplant. Though she's on a transplant list, as of 2008 she has not yet found a match, and exhaustion from her illness prevents her from working. Colleen now has 3-4 other helpers from her low-income neighborhood or similar ones nearby.)

It's this savor of relationship that makes More Than A Relish so special. Yes, people do love the product. It's tasty and robust, good enough to eat straight from the jar. But there's more...

In our tech-driven society where it's easy to feel more like a number than a person, Colleen's down-home warmth stands out. The fact is, talking to her you feel like she welcomes more than your business, she also welcomes you. Now relish that!

(Text and photos © Naomi Lasdon. All Rights Reserved.)