Community Meal

The Unitarian Church Davenport has participated in the Churches United Feed the Hungry program for many years.  Caroline Vernon is the current Community Meal Coordinator. Churches rotate their turn in preparing and serving the meal every other month, on the third Thursday of that month.  Members Ross and Judy prepare the meal, a true labor of love, which takes half the day. Then they pack it for transport to the Salvation Army meal site located at 6th & Harrison Streets in downtown Davenport.  If Ross and Judy are unavailable for whatever reason, Kriss fills in as substitute chef.

Six volunteers work best to serve the meal but five people can handle it if one person both butters and serves the bread. The volunteers meet at the meal site at 5:45 p.m., set up the line, put on plastic gloves provided at the site, and serve the meal as follows:

one serves the lasagana
one serves the bread
one butters the bread
one serves the peaches
one serves the Oreo cookies
one pours the milk in the dining room.

One of our volunteers will agree to transport the meal from our church to the meal site and then return our pans and utensils to the church so they can be washed.  Ross and Judy have the meal ready for transport by 5:30 p.m.  The meal site is a short 15-minute drive from church. the other volunteers are asked to be at the meal site by 5:45 p.m. so there is enough time to set up the line.  Prior to serving, one of our volunteers will enter the dining room and "say the blessing" once everyone is seated and then the site facilitator has everyone line up promptly at 6 p.m. After everyone has come through the line, some folks will come back for seconds if more food is available (first come first serve). We serve it all until it is gone or everyone is satisfied.  We always run out of the lasagna though because it is truly a favorite there.  I'm not just saying that either -- it's really true; folks always rave about it.  I tell folks it's so great because of the secret ingredient, which really isn't a secret at all... LOVE.  That always makes them smile.   Any leftover food is donated to the Salvation Army meal site to be served to women in transition and their children.

The entire serving process lasts about 40 minutes or so on the average.  During the current economic downturn, we have seen an increase in the turnout at the meal site, and most recently we are beginning to see more children.  We serve an average of 110 people at this time.  Times past, we averaged between 70-75 people.  It is obvious everyone very much appreciates receiving a good, hot meal and the need is only too apparent.  

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the church for more information or Caroline Vernon at phone number 563-676-7580 or email carolina1961 at gmail.com