By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Feeding Hays program started as a small free meal program that provided about 10 meals once a week. It now feeds 250 to 300 people each Thursday night.
The program is wholly funded through monetary or in-kind donations.
With the significant increase in people fed, the program needs donations on a weekly basis, Ben Houchen, Feeding Hays director, said.
“We have a pretty regular stream of in-kind donations, but even with that, moving from the number of meals we were serving even a year ago at about 120 meals getting up to the point where we’re doing 250 to 300 meals means week to week we need donations every week to cover that. We don’t have a reserve of food or money to cover anything.”
The program cooks 125 pounds of spaghetti and 15 pounds of hamburger each night it serves meals.
“Because we want it to be a really solid, genuinely healthy, hearty meal, it does cost money,” Houchen said.
Feeding Hays provides a drive-through meal from 6:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at the St. Michael's Episcopal Church.
Free-will donations are accepted but not required. Participants don't need to show proof of income or make a reservation to receive a meal.
The free-will donations go to pay off lunch debt at the Hays USD 489 school district. The program hopes to donate $5,000 this year.
The meal is usually spaghetti with meat sauce, carrots with ranch dressing, bread and a cookie. However, outside groups have offered meals, including hamburgers, chicken and noodles, and loaded baked potatoes.
"The demographics are not what a lot of people would expect," Houchen said. "We do have a lot of people who are on that poverty line or below, but there are also a lot of older folks who want to be able to contribute to the efforts that we're doing."
"We have a lot of single moms or working parents who have done all they want to be able to do for the week, so they get a good meal on Thursday," Houchen said. "We've also seen a large growth recently in veterans ...
"A couple of weeks ago, I talked to a vet who was there that said this is the first time in about a month that he's had a hot meal and the first time in well over a month he's just had someone to stop and talk to him."
Feeding Hays volunteers are trying to secure the program its own nonprofit status so it can apply for more grants.
Program volunteers would like to add one to two more nights of meals to the program within the next six months to a year.
The program is fundraising so it can provide more variety in the meals it offers.
The program is selling raffle tickets between now and Nov. 29. The winners will be selected on Nov. 30. Prizes include a staycation package from Avid Hotels, a Fort Hays State University sports fan package, and a HALO griddle. CLICK HERE for more information on the raffle.
The program accepts donations of spaghetti, sauce and hamburger. See the image below. It also accepts cleaning items such as paper towels, Swiffer Wet Pads, Clorox Cleaning Wipes and Dawn Powerwash dish soap.
The church, 2900 Canal Blvd., has a drop box for these items.
“We do have some people who make cash donations, and we’re looking to expand that so we can ensure sustainability for the future, expand our menu and grow some of the things that we’re doing,” Houchen said.
Businesses or organizations can also adopt an entire evening of meals to provide food and volunteers.
“We’ve had a lot of really great involvement with the community,” Houchen said. “Moving from that 10 a night to that 250 a night has taken huge community involvement.”
Groups including Rotary, Optimists and Women Who Lead have supported the program. McIntyre Plumbing, Heating & Air, T-Mobile and Aaron Heating Air are a few of the businesses that have been supporters.
Houchen said the program is looking for consistent volunteers who can train to lead meals.
He said volunteers can go to the program's Facebook page or St. Michael’s website and contact Houchen directly.
You can follow Feeding Hays on Facebook or find more information under the Feeding Hays tab on the St. Michael’s Episcopal Church website.