SATURDAY SERVINGS

Ask any volunteer who has served with us at Saturday Servings, and they'll likely tell you that they feel they were blessed more by the experience than those they met and served. That's because volunteering at these events is far more than slinging hash or getting your halo shined. And most folks realize that the moment they step out of their comfort zones...praying with strangers, holding hands with skin colors unlike your own, hugging the unbathed, trading your shoes for someone's with holes, or biting your tongue instead of complaining about how miserably hot, cold, or wet you are when you know the person across from you whose styrofoam plate you're loading up with spaghetti doesn't have a home to escape the weather like you will once the last soul is served. Serve with us often, and you'll begin to experience and appreciate all that God is doing through and for our guests and our volunteers. 

These events are held every Saturday...regardless of weather. Setup begins at 12:00, and we serve from 12:30 until 2:30, or until we run out of meals and groceries.

Lunches Served

In 2016, volunteers from our partner churches and businesses purchased, prepared and served 3,639 delicious hot meals. In 2017, 6,469 lunches were served. In 2018, they served 11,565 lunches.  In 2019, 10,739 lunches were served. And in 2020, 12,954 lunches were served, despite pausing operations for three weeks when the pandemic first struck.  2021 began with 372 meals being served on January 2nd, and gave us 35  record crowds, including two Saturdays in February over 500!  We ended 2021 serving 306 neighbors on Christmas Day, bringing our total tally to 16,005 lunches served in 2021.  In 2022, we saw 44 record guest tallies, served 21,301 lunches, and finished the year averaging 394 guests! As of July 24, 2023, we are averaging 524 guests, have served 15,192 lunches, and have twice served crowds of over 700 people!

Groceries Distributed

Our Mo Hope Mobile Pantry used to provide each member of a household one days' worth of food...2 cans of proteins, 2 cans of veggies, 1 can of fruit, and 1 starch. In response to the Covid-19 virus, we have increased to two days' worth of food. That's 10 cans per person per week at $1 per can. When available, we provide fresh fruit, veggies, and bread. In 2018, over 57,800 cans of food were distributed. And in 2019, we distributed over 53,600 cans. In 2020, we shifted from counting cans of food to counting meals that can be prepared with the food we distribute. That equated to 60,504 meals in 2020. The increase in the amount of food we provide has been made possible in part because of our Neighborhood Canned Food Drive program, created in response to impact on grocery prices and availability our neighbors are experiencing because of the pandemic. In 2021, we distributed enough groceries to prepare 96,030 healthy meals. In 2022, that number jumped to 126,156 meals! As of July 24, 2023, we have provided enough groceries to prepare 91,222 meals!

Toiletries Distributed

Our Mo Hope Mobile Pantry also progvides toiletries to our guests as most of those items can't be purchased using SNAP funds. Prior to COVID, we provided each member of a household a bag of toiletries intended to last a week. Each bag contained a roll of toilet paper, tooth brush, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, soap, shampoo, razor, and lip balm. In 2018, over 11,000 toiletry bags were distributed. And in 2019, over 10,700 bags were distributed. In response to COVID and social distancing challenges, we chose to cease pre-bagging hygiene items, and now offer primarily toilet paper, with other items provided upon request.

Servings are held at The Light Community Church, 601 Azalea Ave.