Community Kitchen dishes up more meals

Volunteers gathered in a grayish-white building at 917 S. Rogers St. to shuck corn over an industrial sized trash can, scoop spaghetti, meatballs and corn bread into aluminum carryout containers and chat with smiles on their faces. \nThe Community Kitchen, established in 1983, serves an average of 450 free meals daily to anyone who needs them and delivers the rest to people who cannot come to the kitchen to get them. That number is up 18 percent from last year.\n“I believe that everyone has a right to eat,” said Vicki Pierce, director of the Community Kitchen. \nIn 2006, the Community Kitchen served a total of 131,145 meals, 40 percent to kids and 20 percent to senior citizens. \nThe patrons of the Kitchen are not asked questions about why they’re there or even what their names are, which follows the organization’s motto of “providing meals, no questions asked,” Pierce said. Most of them work full-time or part-time and just need some extra help. \nThe people who serve the food and prepare it each morning are a combination of 10 employees and a large contingent of volunteers, averaging 60 per week. The volunteers can range in age from 10 to 84, which is currently the oldest volunteer. \n“At the end of the day, it’s really nice to go home knowing that you’ve made a difference in the lives of the people who come here,” Pierce said. \nWhile most volunteers come for different reasons, for Vivian Counts, it was just a continuation of a job she started years ago. \n“This is something I really love to do, and I’m so proud,” Counts said as she scooped spaghetti into carry-out containers. “It’s a delight to be here, to volunteer.” \nFor other volunteers, like James Bradshaw who came from Arizona to help, the opportunity to lend a hand came from their church. Bradshaw helped by shucking more than 150 cobs of corn. \nThe food served is a balanced meal consisting of a protein, fruits and vegetables, salad, dessert and a beverage, usually a choice of coffee, tea or juice. Community Kitchen also provides a vegetarian option to satisfy those who come in for meals. \n“Just because someone doesn’t have the money to feed themselves doesn’t mean they should have to violate what they believe in,” Pierce said. \nAfterward, the patron has a chance to rate the food on a scale of one to 10. Eighty-four percent rated the quality of food served at an eight or higher. \n“We serve really good food here,” Pierce said. \nFood is served 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday at both Community Kitchens, located on South Rogers Street and on Eleventh Street.