Kent Community Supper is still serving a hot meal at KLC from 5-6 pm every Monday, as it has for more than 35 years.
In keeping with state guidelines due to the coronavirus, the Monday Supper has moved to serving sack meals outside and encouraging people to leave. Some food preparation is done in the morning and in the afternoon sack meals are set up and the main course added at the last minute. We’re distributing around 90 meals each Monday. The handwashing station donated by Kent Youth & Family has gotten a lot of use both on Mondays and Thursdays at Willows Place. We appreciate it very much and the people coming appreciate being able to wash their hands before they get their meals. The medical van still comes on its schedule.
Many of our faithful volunteers can’t help at this point because of their age. We’re doing fine with a skeleton crew, but if you’re able to volunteer, leave a message for Emily Bumpous at the KLC office.
History
Kent Community Supper serves a meal every Monday to those in need. We have been in continuous operation every Monday night since 1983. We first began meeting to formulate the supper in the fall of 1982 when needs in Kent prompted us to organize it. The first meal was served January 10, 1983. We had hoped it would be a short-lived program, but the need continues.
Most of the diners live in or near Kent. We serve young families struggling to make ends meet, single parent families, elderly who are lonely, and homeless and low-income men and women. We are not a government-sponsored program and do not require personal information from our diners. Our bylaws state we will serve those in need, whatever is their need.
Volunteers
Teams of volunteers serve once a month. Volunteers come from Kent area churches and service organizations. Gleaners collect fruits and vegetables from participating grocery stores. Other volunteers work in the morning preparing food, afternoon setting tables, and evening serving food and cleaning up, taking down the tables and chairs and mopping the floor.
Financial
We have an annual budget of about $12,000 a year. Serving 150 meals each week for 52 weeks a year means we provide some 7,800 meals every year. We estimate it takes about 175 volunteer man-hours each week to provide the meal, at a cost of a little more than $1.25 a meal. In addition to this hot meal, there is a take-home table allowing diners to take home food for the rest of the week. These foods are leftovers from the supper and bread, bakery items, milk, and fruits and vegetables from our gleaning.
Kent service organizations, such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Soroptimist, HRH Family Foundation, Lions, churches in the Kent area, and individual donations and bequests help support Kent Community Supper. At times grocery stores have donated their unused frozen meats.
We have earned a good reputation in the Kent community.
Kent Community Supper is an official 501c3 organization.
Kent Community Supper Time:
Every Monday from 5 to 6 pm
Kent Community Supper Place:
Fellowship Hall
All Are Welcome