Feeding Families in His Name celebrates 10 years of ministry on May 11, 2021.

 

 

“We started the ministry because of a seen need of school children being food insecure,” Jean Tucker, coordinator of the weekly meal, said.

 

 

“Tom Braker had the idea ten years ago and gathered a group of people who started the program on May 11, 2011,” she said. “The administrative board of the First United Methodist Church voted unanimously to start the program.”

 

 

The meal is offered each Wednesday evening at 301 S. National, the Fort Scott First United Methodist Church from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

 

 

“From May 11, 2011, until March of last year we served the meal in the basement Fellowship Hall,” she said. “This allowed us to visit with the families and get to know them and their needs other than a hot-home cooked meal. Now we must visit with them as they drive through.”

 

 

 

“Since the beginning of COVID-19 restrictions, we have served to-go-meals only,” Tucker said.

 

 

“The ministry has extended past the serving of a meal,” she said.  “Some of our dinner guests have become our valued weekly volunteers. We believe that the meal is a delivery system for God’s love!”

 

 

 

Currently helping weekly are Tom Braker, Steve and Susan Cole, Tom Coyan, Joey Beerbower, Linda and Leroy Cox, Betty and Pat Galan, Koyle Link, Lisa Robertson, Phyllis Colthart, and Don and Jean Tucker, plus a group of 15-20 dessert bakers who bake one or two desserts every week, Tucker said.

 

 

A different group helps with the entrée and serving every week.

“The first Wednesday (of each month) is St. Martin’s Schoolboys; the second Wednesday during the school year, the Community Christian Church, under the direction of Gail Sackett, alternates with the First United Methodist Church; the third Wednesday is the Nazarene Church Small Group, under the direction of Gretchen Goodyear; the fourth Wednesday is the First Presbyterian Church under the direction of Alesha Martin and Sandra Cowan, and the fifth Wednesday is Pioneer Kiwanis under the direction of Kelly Collins,” she said.

 

The amount of meals served has grown.

In  March 2011, the ministry served 44 meals, on  March 10, 2021, they served 281 people a meal, Tucker said.

 

 

“The most we have served is 422 meals on a Wednesday last November,” Tucker said.

 

 

” I just did some math and the number of meals served since we began May 11, 2011, is over 98,000 and we have averaged 1,233 meals each month for the past year,” she said.

 

 

The ministry receives funding from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

 

 

For more information, contact Jean Tucker, Coordinator of FFiHN at 620-223-4617 or church office at 620-223-1950