LOGAN – Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit organization that feeds families and individuals in the community, is seeking two board members and some donations.
The organization not only provides nutritious meals for the unemployed, homeless or those who are down on their luck, but they find great value in bringing community members together to fellowship with each other.
Twice a month on the first and third Saturdays dinners are served at the First Presbyterian Church located at 178 W. Center St. Besides new board members, the multi-faith organization is also looking for food donations to help their cause.
“One of the original and longtime donors is not going to donate to us after this year,” said Loaves and Fishes board member Kathy Chudoba from the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. “The donor gave us plenty of notice so we can find another company or organization to help.”
Area grocery stores have been generous to help with meals but sometimes their donation are not enough.
“Sometimes a grocery store will donate 10 pounds of hamburger but what we really need is 40 to 70 pounds of hamburger for a meal,” Chudoba said. “Last year Macey’s donated 16-pound turkeys for our annual turkey dinner. That was great and we were thankful for it.”
She said the Cache Food Pantry has been an excellent resource for Loaves and Fishes.
“Matt Whitaker at the Cache Food Pantry has been so helpful,” she said. “When we need something, the pantry generally gives us what we need.”
There are a lot of companies that donate goods and food to the cause. The organization is looking for ways to enhance the help by targeting them for specific meals
“I started with Loaves and Fishes in 2011, when it began,” Chudoba said. “Since it began we have grown to where we serve 225, sometimes 250 people except during the Turkey Feast then they feed 350 to 400 people.”
On Friday night people come in and prepare the meal. Some companies will donate the meal and employees to serve it at the Saturday meal. Sometimes they are in need of volunteers and post their needs on their Facebook page.
People who want to make donations can go to their website and find out how they can donate.
“We also take meals to CAPSA and deliver them to some shut ins,” Chudoba said. “We also have a bishop in Mendon who will send people from his congregation to take meals to a specific trailer park.”
The people who eat at the dinner can take left over meals for themselves or others.
The Founder of Loaves and Fishes is Rachel von Niederhausern. She volunteered to serve at a Salt Lake City homeless shelter and got a glimpse of the benefits of people coming together for a common meal.
That experience opened her eyes to a larger need. It was more than food, it was an opportunity for the people in the community to gather, have nourishment for body and soul, and be together.
Since April of 2011, Loaves and Fishes has served a regular, nutritious meal for free to anyone in the community.
For people that have no money to buy food can a place to eat, find friendship and community support.
For more information go to: loganloavesandfishes.com or on Facebook Loaves and Fishes Community Meal.