Free Meals program seeks additional funding

to continue serving north Oakland community

By Jim Newell

Special to The Leader

There are faces in the community that not many people see, although they may hear about them from time to time. These are the faces of need, the faces of those facing food insecurity who need support to meet the most basic of necessities each week – putting a meal on the table for themselves and their families.

These are the faces of pride. Some are the faces of gratitude; some are the faces of embarrassment at having to ask for help; others are the faces of those – especially those asking for help for the first time – streaked with tears.

These are the faces quietly asking, for one reason for another, “Will you help me?”

But at the Free Meals program, the only faces that matter are that they are the faces of neighbors.

Program lead Connie Miller and her team of volunteers of the Free Meals program at Immanuel Congregational Church of Christ in Oxford have seen these faces every week. Guests to the program are greeted by the smiling faces of volunteers who themselves are grateful to help.

The Free Meals program, a truly grassroots program, serves those in need by providing a hot meal in a takeout container and groceries – milk, bread, eggs, fresh produce, pantry goods and odds and ends – at the drive through distribution from 4:30-6 p.m. every Wednesday at the church. Guests to the program are largely from Oxford, Addison and Orion townships, but there are no residency requirements to receive assistance.

In 2022, the program served 5,432 hot meals to an average 100 guests each week. “No one is turned away,” Miller said. “We don’t ask for ID. We don’t ask for names or where they live. If they need help, we’re here to help. It’s that simple. We don’t ask questions, other than what they need and how many people are in their family. And there is no judgment.”

But like many of the guests who drive through – and the many families in the area who are struggling with the same issues – rising food prices are taking a toll on the Free Meals budget. Despite a generous $18,250 grant from the Four County Community Foundation (4CCF) for 2023, and an $18,000 grant in 2022, the program is still experiencing shortfalls.

“I’m incredibly grateful. Four County is a great organization. It’s the second grant they’ve given us, and it really takes the pressure off. Without that grant we never would have made it through the year,” Miller said.

The 2022 grant ran out in October but the Free Meals program made it through November, December and January, until the 2023 grant was awarded, from donations and volunteer contributions, some of which were reimbursed.

“Without additional funding, the program is likely to run out of money in July “with the costs right now and the number of people we’re serving,” Miller said.

Free Meals provides groceries to 90-120 people, or more, each week. While Miller bargain hunts, she still spends $400-$600 per week on groceries to stock the pantry and buy milk, bread, eggs and takeout trays, which cost about $600 annually. The program needs at least $2,500 in donations just to make the initial projected costs, but will likely need even more funding assistance.

“Fundraising and donations are still going to be really important,” Miller said. “In January we served a total of 365 people. That’s a little bit down,” Miller said, adding that in the first two weeks of February they have already served more than 200 people.

There are restaurants that do donate food for the prepared meals, but Miller could always use more assistance. Woodchips and Italia Gardens donate food one week per month, and Sick Pizza and Magic Brownie Box contribute regularly. Big Moe’s Kitchen just joined the lineup.

But at least once a month she has to dip into the budget to prepare meals for the week. The program runs entirely on volunteers: no one is paid for any of the work so all donations go directly to stocking the pantry and buying food and materials for the prepared meals. Miller has a loyal cadre of around 20 volunteers, but not everyone can volunteer every week.

Sometimes there are only seven or eight who can make it, so it’s all hands on deck to “make everything work.”

“We’re unique. We don’t ask questions of people. We’re pretty familiar with who is coming each week but we also have new people every week,” Miller said. “It’s really just the community giving to the community. It’s just your neighbors helping you out. And we really need to keep it going.

“I mean, we’d like to stop if the world would get back on its axis properly but I don’t see that happening,” she said.

To donate to the Free Meals program, contact Connie Miller at 248-933-4579 or Immanuel Congregational Church at 248-628-1610. Mail donations to Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ, 1 Hovey St., Oxford, MI 48371 with Free Meals in the memo line of checks.

Oxford Township Communications and Grant Manager C.J. Carnacchio provided information for this report.