ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Every Saturday morning, the basement of Elk Grove United Methodist Church on Elk Grove Boulevard fills with conversation and piano music as community members gather to share a warm breakfast together. From 8 to 10 a.m., anyone is welcome to walk into Bartholomew Hall, take a seat and enjoy a meal served with friendly company.

Volunteers of all ages arrive early to brew coffee, prepare food and greet anyone who walks through the church doors looking for something to eat. Their work fuels the Saturday community breakfast, also known as Ministry Meals, an effort that began about 10 years ago. The weekly breakfast provides an opportunity for the community to serve others by offering free hot meals to those whose resources are limited or to anyone who, for any reason, just needs a meal.

The volunteer team is made up of a multi-ministry effort that includes local church members, high school students, youth seeking service opportunities and residents looking for a way to give back.

“That’s what we want to do, is serve the community,” said Margaret Filippi, who has been involved since the breakfast first started. “There’s always something going on and somebody you can talk to.”

Filippi said the program welcomes people from any church background and added that while visitors may attend services at the United Methodist Church if they choose, the Saturday breakfast focuses on sharing a meal and offering a space for community.

“It’s an open table where everybody’s welcome to come in, sit down, have a cup of coffee, have some communication,” Filippi said.

 

Juan Alvarez and Eric Llieve enjoy the warm atmosphere at the Saturday community breakfast.

Breakfast typically includes biscuits and gravy, cereal, fruit and hash browns. Volunteers serve as shoppers, food servers, dishwashers and drivers who pick up food from donors such as the Elk Grove Food Bank.

Longtime attendee and volunteer Sam Stanley said he has been attending the breakfasts for about five years. For him, Stanley said that the breakfast has both been an opportunity for him to serve and a place to connect.

“This is our way of giving back to society because God has been good to us, so this is our way of helping the people that weren’t as fortunate as we were,” Stanley said. “It’s also a place where we can just have fun talking with people who come and go.”

Stanley, who helps lead the morning preparations, arrives as early as 6:30 a.m. to brew coffee and set up.

“I guess you would call it TLC, tender loving care,” he said.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Filippi said the breakfast regularly served up to 100 meals each Saturday. She noted that although attendance has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, it is steadily growing, now averaging 50 to 60 participants weekly, partly because of recent challenges with food benefits.

 

Ministry Meal volunteers work in the kitchen, washing dishes during the breakfast service.

To better support community members in need, the church recently expanded its outreach by preparing sack lunches for visitors to the Tuesday shower ministry. The shower ministry runs Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m., providing anyone in need a place to clean up and access basic hygiene essentials.

Volunteers Maggie McNaught and Cathy Facundo at the shower ministry told the Elk Grove Citizen that more individuals have been using the services. At the Nov. 22 session, they noted a significant increase in demand, highlighting the ongoing need in the community.

“It’s not just the homeless; it’s been people with jobs that are right on the edge to be able to afford housing, families,” McNaught said. “They’re definitely brothers and sisters; we feel for them. They’re not just statistics, there’s faces and names.”

McNaught also expressed concern that the shower and meal ministry at Elk Grove United Methodist Church alone cannot fully meet the area’s needs. She called on other organizations and groups to form similar programs to fill the gaps.

“Our real fear is that we don’t have enough services for the people that need them in this area. We’re doing what we can do, but it would be great if other organizations also create ministries like this,” McNaught said.

The Ministry Meals Saturday community breakfast runs rain or shine, offering residents comfort and connection, whether they need a meal or simply want to share one with others.

For those interested in supporting the shower and Ministry Meals programs, volunteers and monetary donations are always welcome. For more information on how to donate or support, contact [email protected] or call 916-686-8303.

 

Volunteer Cheryl and community member Gary share a photo together at the Saturday community breakfast.