Central Community Kitchen in Springfield offering free meals every Tuesday

Central Community Kitchen, a Springfield nonprofit organization, is continuing to serve hot meals on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Meals are distributed by a team of volunteers between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at 102 W. High St.

“I want them to know their meal was not just thrown together as a last minute after-thought,” Kelly Funderburg-Kaffenbarger, the head cook and leader of Central Community Kitchen said. “This is one tiny moment where we have an opportunity to shine a little light of hope with someone who faces daily obstacles we can only imagine.”

Central Community Kitchen is supported by 10 local churches, that provide donations and volunteers, according to High Street United Methodist Church (UMC) Communications Coordinator Susan Roosen. Each church chooses a month to volunteer at Cental Community Kitchen.

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Supporting churches include High Street United Methodist, Grace Lutheran, Lawrenceville Church of God, Saint Teresa Catholic, Asbury United Methodist, Northridge United Methodist, St. Mark United Methodist, Northside Church of God, First Baptist of Springfield and First Christian.

Central Community Kitchen usually serves between 50 and 100 meals every Tuesday. Since the pandemic, the nonprofit has increased the number of meals being served. The most meals served during the pandemic was 120 meals at the beginning of April, according to a news release from High Street UMC.

The meals are served in carryout boxes at the door of the building due to the pandemic.

High Street UMC is making and collecting masks to give away. When members of High Street UMC volunteered at Central Community Kitchen, they noticed that many people who were picking up meals did not have face masks to wear, according to the release.

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Becky Bonerigo a volunteer from High Street UMC said, “One of the things that has always filled me with admiration is the level of concern and understanding that the regular volunteers - including Kelly and her family - have for the regular clients.

For more information, visit www.centralcommunitycenter.com. To make a monetary donation or to donate masks, contact one of the participating churches or mail the donation to High Street UMC, 230 E. High St. in Springfield.

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