Ayres became a
Catholic priest for the
Roman Catholic diocese of Rockville Centre. Long Island, New York in 1966, but always had a fondness for radio broadcasting, starting at
WGSM on
Long Island. At first called On This Rock, it featured interviews with rock musicians, that focused on the spiritual meaning of the music to them, rather than its commercial aspects. as well as playing music by artists whose outlook he thought was similar to his. He served for ten years at St. James Church in
Seaford, New York, until 1979. He resigned from the active priesthood in the early 1980s and focused on charitable work full-time. His motivation to leave the priesthood was to be able to marry his now wife Jeannine. Ayres has served as executive director since 1983. Ayres and Chapin believed that solutions to hunger and poverty are found through long-term solutions, like supporting community-based organizations that empower individuals and build self-reliance. His next book,
The Journey Into the Mystery: Finding God in Your Everyday Life, was released on Amazon marketplace in 2021. On June 23, 2015, Ayres was presented with the "WhyHunger Lifetime Achievement Award" by
WhyHunger. ==References==