Submitted by Ben Geer of Grace Lutheran in Mankato.
(Mankato) – Grace Lutheran Church continues to provide ways to feed the Mankato community. Every Sunday over the last two years, they have hosted “Shelter Church” in the basement. Shelter Church is a ministry of Connections Ministry in Mankato, MN. Some people attending may be experiencing homelessness or other ways of poverty. Some people may have been hurt by the church in the past. Shelter Church provides a safe space for all people to gather. Each week a meal is served to the 25-40 people that attend. Volunteers gather to make and serve the meal. Grace provides the meal on the 2nd and 4th Sunday. Although most of the food items used to make the meal are provided for free by South Central Minnesota Food Recovery, additional items are sometimes needed to round off a great meal. With the help of the SEMN Synod Hunger Grant, extra supplies have been purchased to assist with the meal.
At Grace, there is an effort to ensure no food goes to waste. Funds from the grant also provided packaging so people can get ‘to go’ meals for home. Every week all the leftovers are now either taken or placed in our community freezer to be later distributed to those who are hungry in our community. Through creativity and care, those that hunger are now being fed.
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Southeastern Minnesota Synod Office