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Churches work together to feed the hungry

Tierney Harvey
Posted 7/5/17

MIDDLEBURG – A collaboration of five churches are doing their part to make sure those in need do not go hungry each weekend.

Any hungry person can visit the Weigel Senior Center on Saturday for …

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Churches work together to feed the hungry


Posted

MIDDLEBURG – A collaboration of five churches are doing their part to make sure those in need do not go hungry each weekend.

Any hungry person can visit the Weigel Senior Center on Saturday for a free hot meal, thanks to the churches that take turns managing operations for the Kitchen of Clay County, an all-volunteer organization that coordinates the meals.

The meals are offered every Saturday across the county at senior centers in Middleburg, Orange Park, Green Cove Springs and Keystone Heights. All centers combined serve more than 10,000 lunches per year, according to Jeff Provou, the president of the board of the Kitchen of Clay County.

The Kitchen of Clay County, formerly the Soup Kitchen of Clay County, is run entirely by volunteers. Many churches and individuals donate funds to keep it running, said Craig Van Gundy, a member of the Kitchen of Clay County board and coordinator for Middleburg.

As the coordinator, Van Gundy works with each church to keep things running smoothly. Once a month, duties fall to Van Gundy’s church, Middleburg United Methodist Church. He is also coordinator of MUMC’s Food Bridge program, which provides food to people in need.

At the Weigel Senior Center on June 24, each table was set with a floral centerpiece, placemat, silverware and napkins. Van Gundy said volunteers rearrange the senior center’s long folding tables to try to resemble a restaurant dining room. A basket of bread sat at each table as an appetizer while customers waited for their food.

Volunteers from Crossroad Lutheran Church acted as servers, greeted each customer and took their meal order. The volunteers brought out drinks, soups, sandwiches and desserts and bussed empty tables.

Guests arrived well before 11 a.m., and by the time lunch was served, nearly every table was full. Servers were constantly moving, carrying trays of food and making sure all customers were happy. One volunteer said the bustle was typical.

Options vary based on who is cooking that week, Provou said. The Kitchen secures the senior centers for the churches to use and provides some supplies, Van Gundy said, but most of the food is brought by the church serving that day.

On Crossroad’s turn, the menu featured several varieties of soup – vegetable, chicken and rice, potato corn chowder and minestrone – and sandwiches, ham and swiss or turkey and cheddar. For dessert, customers had a choice of chocolate or white cake.

Deserae Cruz and her husband, Matthew Smith, are the team leads from Crossroad, which means they make sure the church has enough supplies and volunteers for the day. They also clean up at the end of the meal.

“He makes the sandwiches and makes sure the kitchen is running smoothly,” Deserae said. “I’m out on the floor, interacting and taking orders.”

Deserae said she started volunteering shortly after she started attending Crossroad.

“Me and my daughter and my husband came and helped, and we’ve been doing it ever since,” she said. “It’s like a bright spot in my month. It makes me feel like I’ve actually done some good.”

She said she wished the kitchen helped more homeless people. A few come in every month, she said, but many others either don’t have transportation to get to the senior center or don’t know the meal is offered. Many of their customers are seniors and people on fixed incomes, Cruz said.

There are certain customers Cruz looks forward to each month, she said. As a server, she gets to talk to the customers and get to know them.

“When you know you’ve helped someone,” she said, “it just makes you feel good.”

Provou said the Kitchen is run in coordination with the Clay County Council on Aging, which allows the group to use the senior centers. Much of the food is provided by Waste Not Want Not, a volunteer organization that collects food from restaurants and retail stores that would otherwise be thrown away.

To donate to the Kitchen of Clay County, contact President Jeff Provou at (904) 237-1388.