The Food Ministries at St. Jude’s mobilize the resources and engage the members of the Parish to focus on interventions to alleviate the problems of hunger/malnutrition and food insecurity amongst families and individuals in our community, working in partnership with community agencies.
- Thursday Night Dinners at Kerr Street Mission
The Thursday Night dinner team, continue to have great fun, whilst looking after and catering for about 50 guests once a month. We maintained our “fresh food policy” despite rising food prices, and continue to offer a choice of three main courses. A “restaurant’ atmosphere and interaction with our guests remain a priority and St. Jude’s night is always popular and well-attended.
Wednesday Food For Life Outreach Program
The team of volunteers receive, sort, and hand-deliver to families in the Margaret and Maurice Drive community. This food is delivered weekly, and is supplemented one week per month with 10 boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables, purchased from the Halton Fresh Food Box Program.
In addition to our regular parish volunteers, we welcome volunteers from within the community.
Summer Weekly Barbecue at Margaret/Maurice Drive
Volunteers from St. Jude provide a weekly BBQ in July and August for the families residing in the Margaret/Maurice Drive complex. The purpose of the program is to:
- Promote socialization and community engagement amongst all residents at the HCHC housing complex;
- Promote socialization between residents and church volunteers;
- Provide different crafts, arts and other activities for kids and teens; and
- Provide fresh-grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, beverages and other food items to residents
Each week, a team volunteers buy, prepares and cooks the hot dogs, chicken, veggie and beef hamburgers with all the trimmings, under the leadership of a Team Captain.
Lyon’s Lane Vegetable Garden Plot
We have two adjacent garden plots and several regular volunteers. They harvest hundreds of pounds of assorted vegetables, all of which are delivered to Kerr Street Mission for distribution to their clients. We also receive produce contributions from other plot-holders at Lyon’s Lane who have excess.
St. Simon’s and St. Jude’s Pantry Program:
The Pantry Program Team of volunteers produced approximately 120 meals (in 60 two-serving meal containers). These meals are intended for persons who are homeless, or homebound or unable to cook for themselves. The meals are made at St. Simon’s Church, frozen and then delivered to community agencies and churches.
A special thank you goes to or volunteers community partners. Its successful is only made possible through the support and engagement of our committed and enthusiastic volunteers, our partners, our congregation and its leaders.