Oxford Schools Early College student Luke McMahon (far left) organized a volunteer day at the Free Meals program in Oxford. McMahon’s parents, school friends and family friends joined him to help distribute food to area residents in need. Photos by Jim Newell

By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
OXFORD – For Oxford Schools Early College (OSEC) student Luke McMahon, giving back to the community may have been a part of his Capstone project but he felt needed to go a step further and organized a volunteer day at Free Meals in Oxford.
McMahon said he chose to help Free Meals because it’s a good cause and his family is familiar with the program at Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ.
“I think everybody should have something to eat for dinner. My mom donates to the church, to Connie (Miller, Free Meals program coordinator),” McMahon said.
Free Meals typically provides 100-150 meals each week to area residents. McMahon set up drop boxes around the community to collect food for the program. Collection boxes are at Oxford High School and Nick Horvath State Farm, 148 S. Washington St., and will be available until the end of March.
Miller said every bit helps the grassroots Free Meals program, and added that she always looks forward to helping students get involved in giving back to the community.
The Free Meals program provides fresh milk, eggs, bread and seasonal produce, along with a bag of pantry items, to help out families struggling with food insecurity, or who may need a little assistance on a weekly basis. The all-volunteer program is independent but has a partnership with Immanuel Church, which houses the food pantry and serves as a distribution location every Wednesday throughout the year.
Besides collecting food for Free Meals, McMahon said he felt it would be good to volunteer at the program to see what it was like. On March 6 he made it a family and friends event, bringing his mother, grandparents, two friends from school and family friend Nick Horvath and his son, Miles, to help take requests from program guests, pack bags of groceries and load them into cars.
“I thought it would be good to have a volunteer day as well as just the food drive. As my mentor said, it might be a good experience,” McMahon said. “And the kids (volunteering) don’t have to use their money. If their parents don’t give them money to buy groceries then they can’t participate, but they can give their time here.”
The capstone project for OSEC students is a service-learning project completed during the student’s 13th year, giving them the opportunity to apply the knowledge of their educational experience to the world and is an opportunity for students to give back.
“Capstone is something OSEC kids have to do in their first year after senior year. It’s to give back to the community since they get to take college early,” McMahon said. “It doesn’t have to be monetary. It can be any kind of donation. It’s just to give back to your community.”
Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ is at 1 Hovey St. in Oxford. The Free Meals program begins at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays. Volunteers, and anyone who would like to donate are encouraged to contact program coordinator Connie Miller at 248-933-4579.