Kate's Kitchen

We are grateful to be entering our fourth year of participation in the Kate's Kitchen meal program. The program was started, and continues to be guided by, the First United Methodist Church in Bluffton. In recent years, the pool of supporting churches has expanded to include the First Church of Christ, the Apostolic Church, and ourselves. St. Joseph's Catholic Church participates by providing financial support that helps offset the rent for the distribution site.

Meals are served each Wednesday evening of the month from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. We regularly prepare 200 to 225 meals. Visitors to Kate's Kitchen may choose to eat their meal there or take their meal home. Some prefer to take their meals home to eat with family members and friends. Each person may receive up to five meals. The number of individual persons served each week varies, but usually ranges between 60 and 70.

In addition to the meal, we distribute personal hygiene products as they are available, including soap, facial tissue, toilet paper, or shampoo. At Christmas, a brief vespers service is conducted and gift bags are distributed along with the meals.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:31-40