Katie's Kitchen supplies meals for needy
Justine Brown might manage Katie's Kitchen at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church on West Jefferson Street, but she refuses to take all the credit for providing the needy with a weekly meal.
Brown said pandemic-friendly to-go meals are packed in hot and cold bags for anyone who shows up from 5 to 6 p.m. each Thursday at the church's front entrance.
Each diner receives one hot and one cold bag, utensils and a drink at the door.
“We serve from 70 to 100 meals each week,” Brown said. “At the height of COVID-19, we were serving 130.”
The nutritious and tasty meals, which include the fresh salad or produce Brown considers important, would be all but impossible if not for the generosity of local businesses and organizations that donate food items to Katie's Kitchen, Brown said.
Every Thursday morning, Brown's husband, Bill, drives to Butler Farm Market and Panera at Butler Commons to collect the leftover items they donate.
Butler Farm Market donates produce, bread and buns for the Katie's Kitchen meals, while Panera gives bread and bagels as well as some danish pastries or other sweet rolls.
Ambrose Farm Market in Winfield Township also donates produce at harvest time, and Community Partnerships donates items from its four community gardens in the county, Brown said.If she is short a dessert item for her weekly meals, Brown approaches St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, as they receive cookies and other baked items from local big-box stores.Butler County Ford began providing masks to Katie's Kitchen last year, so a new mask is included in each week's meal bags as well, Brown said.“Hopefully, it's keeping them safe because I don't know how many of them have their shots,” Brown said.If Brown has extra bread or produce, each diner is sent off with a bag containing a few items, she said.“A lot of the time with the extra bread we get, we'll make bread pudding,” Brown said. “They love bread pudding.”Last week's meal included a hamburger with fresh local tomatoes, French fries and a locally sourced tossed salad.“We really try and keep it as nutritious and hearty as we can, using as many fresh, homemade foods as possible,” Brown said. “They also love milk, which really surprised me.”Brown uses the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant funds to buy milk from Marburger Dairy in Forward Township.“We go through 15 to 20 half gallons of milk a week,” she said.
Brown misses the days when diners sat down at a table at the church to eat their meals and enjoy some fellowship, but sit-down meals are not returning anytime soon due to the pandemic.“I can see us serving meals as we have been for the next several months anyway, and maybe into spring,” she said.The weekly Katie's Kitchen meal is always well attended.“They start lining up at the door at 4:40 or 4:45,” Brown said.Brown, a retired consumer science instructor who taught at Butler High School for 37 years, said she loves working with all the Katie's Kitchen volunteers who are so willing to give their time and talent to prepare and serve meals.She also loves meeting the diners, many of whom are homeless.“They get to know us and we get to know them,” Brown said. “It's very satisfying knowing we are helping those who are less fortunate in Butler.”She said Katie's Kitchen is funded by St. Mark's in Butler and Trinity Lutheran Church in Center Township.
Community members also donate money, which is imperative in filling the bellies of those experiencing hard times.“I have found it's the best thing to donate to any of the community meals,” Brown said of monetary gifts in any amount.She stressed that a daily meal is offered most days at churches in downtown Butler to those who need it.She said the Salvation Army also offers lunch on several days per week.Asked what that says about Butler County, Brown does not hesitate.“It says that we are a very generous, giving, caring community,” she said. “We care about our neighbors and friends who might be less fortunate than we are.”
Residents who are in need can get a free meal most days in Butler. No advanced registration or eligibility requirements are necessary.Lunch4 Salvation Army Open Door feeding program: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday131 W. Cunningham St.724-287-55324 St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church: noon to 1 p.m., first, fourth and fifth Sundays of each month210 E. Jefferson St.Use Cliff Street entrance724-287-4777Dinner 5 TO 6 p.m.Monday4 First English Lutheran ChurchCorner of North Main and Brady streets724-283-2378Tuesday4 St. Paul Catholic Church128 N. McKean St.724-287-1759Wednesday4 St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church201 E. Jefferson St.Use Cliff Street entrance724-287-4777Thursday4 St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran ChurchCorner of Jefferson and Washington streets724-287-6741Friday4 First United Methodist ChurchCorner of North and McKean streets724-283-6160First and fourth Saturdays of each month4 New Beginnings Free Methodist Church416 Center Ave.724-285-6560Second and third Saturdays of each month4 North Street Christian Church220 W. North St.724-282-7700
