Our Wednesday Downtown Neighborhood Lunch has certainly been a success. Over the past two years we have averaged 89 lunches a week. Our numbers included mostly men the first year, but last summer we saw a definite increase in women and small children. We certainly see some wide-eyed excitement over the desserts, especially ice cream, and they really like the idea of second helpings.
We have fed some folks who looked as though they hadn’t eaten in days and have been assured that is the case. The largest numbers of our lunch guests come from the working poor segment, so it really helps to feed a good, large meal so someone can stretch their paycheck and guarantee good nutrition, at least for one day.
The big bonus for many of our guests is our bread program, which also includes produce and baked goods that probably would go unused and most of our folks wouldn’t have the ability to purchase on their own.
Originally published in the Mission & Outreach Newsletter, April 2007.