Two evenings each week, the dozens of volunteers who pass through the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall in Starkville quietly prepare home-cooked meals for people who otherwise would not have one that day.
With 15 local churches participating, volunteers may not share the same religious beliefs, but they all come together in one common ministry — the Casserole Kitchen.
Because of this, co-chairman Lauren Zimmerman said, it is truly a one-of-a-kind organization.
“It’s pretty remarkable,” Zimmerman said. “All of these different denominations and people of different faith backgrounds come together. There is really no other organization in town that has so many different communities supporting one ministry or one common goal.”
For the first time since its 2009 inception, The Casserole Kitchen, which provides three hot meals each week to less fortunate families living in Starkville and Oktibbeha County, was awarded the 2017 Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) award as Mississippi’s Most Outstanding Faith-Based Initiative.
With nearly 200 volunteers, 50,000 documented service hours and 37,000 meals served, Casserole Kitchen has blossomed over the past eight years.
The ministry feeds an average of about 25 each meal, including 6 p.m. dinners on Tuesdays and Thursdays at First Presbyterian and an 11 a.m. lunch each Saturday at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. Zimmerman said volunteers have fed as many as 50 at one meal.
A different church in the county takes responsibility for providing each meal, and volunteers from that church also will come serve the food.
“This not only benefits the people coming to eat, but it also benefits those volunteering as well,” said Rex Buffington, another co-chair for Casserole Kitchen. “People are getting good food, fellowship, and they always leave well-fed.”
Buffington said he became involved with Casserole Kitchen when First Presbyterian member Gery Cummings first began to organize it. At the time, Buffington said, many doubted such a cross-denominational collaboration would ever become a sustainable program.
Shortly after the program started, Cummings lost his battle with cancer. Buffington said he then became even more committed to keeping the effort going.
“Gery was a good friend of mine,” Buffington said. “I had the opportunity to see his commitment firsthand and really be a part of his original vision.”
Sharing the load and the award
Buffington and Zimmerman provided each of the participating churches with a framed certificate to recognize their hard work in helping the organization earn the GIVE Award.
“We were really honored to be recognized this way in such a short amount of time,” Buffington said. “But it’s really all of the churches that are making Casserole Kitchen possible and able to continue.”
Even with 15 churches already involved, both Buffington and Zimmerman said there is always room for more to participate.
The best part, however, is simply knowing each person who passes by will not leave hungry, Zimmerman added with a smile.
“It’s just satisfying knowing that people are getting a good meal, who normally wouldn’t,” Zimmerman said, “They are always so gracious and thankful of what we are doing and that’s a good feeling.”
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