Here is a historical look at our program: Each Thursday evening for the past several years, we at Maxwell Street have provided a hot meal, served in our Fellowship Hall to those who have need of food. This program began as an outreach to the homeless in the downtown area but soon found many of the poor, the marginally employed, the families living on the edge, and the elderly began to quickly utilize this meal. By serving food in a manner using real plates and real cutlery, a sense of dignity is fostered. These folks have found their way to the meal from many different sources, with many various stories to tell.
Last year we served over 4,500, with some folks becoming regular visitors, some seasonal, others only at the end of the month when food stamps run out, and others as they pass through. This program provides a place for them to stop in out of the weather, to sit down at table and enjoy a meal with a sense of dignity, if only for the short time spent on Thursday nights. This year we have noticed an increase in the number of folks attending the meals.
