HERMISTON, Ore.-Free community meals are available on Fridays in Hermiston from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Everyone is invited to the community meals that restarted in January, and organizers are planning one every Friday, hosted by different churches or nonprofits on a rotating basis.
Good Shepherd ConneXions hosted the meal in the Parish Hall of Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Hermiston on February 13.
“These free community meals are a simple but powerful way for us to step up and be a part of the solution,” said Jessica De La Cruz, a Community Health Worker with Good Shepherd Health Care System. “A warm meal might seem simple, but it can make a difference and it’s something we can all be a part of.”
Restarting community meals
The idea for the community meal came out of a collaborative lunch gathering of the Faith-Based Advisory Committee, comprised of pastors, nonprofit leaders and those who serve the community, in early November.
“Anyone who is in need can attend, in need of a lunch because they have limited resources, or those in need of community who want to eat lunch with others rather than being alone,” said Dan Mahon, Co-Pastor of Oasis Vineyard Church in Hermiston. “This could be a senior adult, a high school student, someone facing housing insecurity or a family in need.”
According to Mahon, the group has been meeting quarterly for the past few years to build relationships, encourage one another, and share awareness about what services are available, and to discuss creative ways to address the needs of the community around food insecurity.
Daily meal service at various area churches existed in Hermiston prior to COVID, but had never quite made it back post-COVID, according to Mahon, who explained that until recently meals were available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at the Christian Church, Methodist Church, and at the 7th Day Adventist Church, respectively.
A recipe for fellowship
“We want everyone to feel welcome because this is for the entire community,” said De La Cruz. “We acknowledge everyone who comes in, engaging in small talk and getting to know them a bit. Most of the time they just need a warm meal and someone to talk to.”
In addition to a meal, the lunch offers a sense of community and the opportunity for fellowship.
Janet and Jesse Pena, who have recently experienced homelessness, attended the meal for the first time on February 13, and were grateful for the service.
“We always appreciate knowing what’s available and what’s out there,” said the couple. “This is something hot to eat, it’s a relief.”
A steady stream of diners started coming into the Parish Hall when the meal started, and that fellowship was on full display as old acquaintances greeted one another and new friends were quickly made.
“I come for the food, the people who put it together and serve it, and these people here who come to eat,” said John Phillips, who tries to come to the meal every week. “This program just opened back up, and it’s nice to see it going again.”
Shepherd’s Kitchen free community meal
At the November gathering of the Faith-Based Advisory Committee, the possibility of losing STAMP resources and the impact that could have on individuals and families in Hermiston was a real possibility, one that drove members of the committee to action.
“I knew other people in the community also had concerns for people with food insecurity, and the desire to create a space for fellowship was important,” said Nancy Walchli, of Oasis.
Walchli connected with Kay Edwards from Our Lady of Angels, a parish that previously provided meals on Fridays until COVID, and was interested in restarting at the meeting.
The two women collaborated and shared resources to make another community meal during the week possible.
“We felt other churches and organizations have a passion to help with food insecurity, but don’t have the kitchen or the people to provide a meal every week,” said Walchli, of the current iteration of the community meal. “So, sharing and rotating is sustainable.”
Our Lady of Angels is within walking distance for many and will cover a few weeks of meals a month, and Oasis was willing to cover a meal once a month as part of the rotation.
Organizers have also partnered with Faith Presbyterian, Good Shepherd Health Care System, Christianson Realty Group, and Destined Realty Group for the free, weekly meal rotation.
“We are so thrilled that the lunch is reaching those in need and seems to be growing each week, from 30 the first week to 60 this last week,” said Mahon.
Good Shepherd Connexions
Good Shepherd ConneXions helps residents in Umatilla and Morrow Counties connect with resources and services pertaining to health issues, basic needs, mental or behavioral health concerns, medical transportation, medication management, peer support, healthcare coverage, or financial needs.
For De La Cruz, her experience as a Community Health Worker, as well as her work with the Hermiston Food Coalition, inspired her to get involved with the community meals.
“The ConneXions Department focuses on assisting the community, and this program offers another way for us to provide support, build relationships and ensure people are aware of available resources,” said De La Cruz.
Similar to the other organizations in the meal rotation, Good Shepherd ConneXions purchases the food when it’s their week to host, then about 6 or 7 people help out with preparing, cooking and serving the food.
According to De La Cruz, Good Shepherd ConneXions plans to cover a meal as part of the rotation every six weeks.
How to get involved
Volunteers usually start preparing food and setting up for lunch around 9 a.m. on the scheduled Friday mornings, and anyone who wants to help out is always welcome.
Utensils and paper plates can always be donated to the church, and anyone interested in joining one of the groups that hosts a weekly meal can contact Oasis at oasishermiston@gmail.com.
“When we show up and provide food, we’re taking real action against food insecurity right here in our own community,” said De La Cruz.
The next quarterly gathering of the Faith-Based Advisory Committee is February 24, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at Oasis Vineyard Church. Anyone interested in attending the meeting can RSVP at oasishermiston@gmail.com.
The next free community meal is Friday, February 20, starting at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church at 565 W. Hermiston Avenue.
