We began our meal ministry in 2016 with a Monday evening dinner once a month. Throughout that first year many of the poor had expressed they felt a lack of purpose for their lives. We believe that there is no better way to get your mind off your own problems than to help someone else in need, so we started a lunch program in which we served lunch every Tuesday and Thursday and also started them working on projects to help other.
We made blankets for the homeless and for babies born into poverty; we made advent wreaths and snowmen and sold them for donations to the ministry which were then used to buy the food that fed them. They also helped with clerical work like labeling envelopes, stuffing newsletters, and applying postage for the ministry. We saw great improvement in the well -being of the people we were serving over the next year.
We then started a brunch on the 3rd Saturday of each month because there was nowhere in town to get food on a Saturday in town. During this time we also began a program to pick up the still-sealed food waste from the city schools to give to the poor to take home for later.
Meals are prepared at our ministry and then we transport and serve at the Alliance Catholic Worker house located at 830 S. Freedom. Anyone desiring to help, please contact the ministry. We also assist the poor with needs such as clothing, beds, furniture, hygiene products, appliances, transportation, bus passes, food, and more. Item donations are accepted as needed. Please contact us.