First Christian Church in Windsor is participating in the community Summer Lunch Program for the fourth year in a row, and the need is higher than ever.
As a way to fill the gap of no free meals being served by the local school district between the time that summer school ends and the fall semester begins, FCC began the program themselves by serving lunch two days per week. Outreach Chair Melody Wilson says that she wasn’t looking for a job, but God put this need on her heart and she just had to fill it.
Volunteers from First Baptist Church
Since then, the program has become an ecumenical effort supported by the Windsor Ministerial Alliance. Volunteers from neighboring churches now join the folks at FCC five days per week for seven weeks to pack and distribute the sack lunches. The meals usually consist of a sandwich or hot dog, fruit, side item, and dessert – though Friday is grilled hamburger day!
Funding for the project comes from individual donations, church contributions, and other organizations such as the local Masonic Lodge and DAR Chapter. This summer they also received a grant from the Truman Lake Community Foundation, which has been a tremendous help as expenses continue to rise.
Volunteers from St. Bartholomew Catholic Church
The program exists as a ‘no judgment zone’ and feeds anyone in the community who comes, regardless of church affiliation or age. One day last week, volunteers served a record number of 142 meals. The process of serving this many meals in just 60 minutes was actually improved out of pandemic necessity last year, when they converted the pick-up process to drive-through in the parking lot rather than having people coming into the building.
With the process now honed like a well-oiled machine, these dedicated volunteers continue their mission of service – one meal at a time.
Thank you to Melody Wilson for this information and photos.