God Works Family Soup Kitchen serves 1 millionth meal

MONROE — When Jeff Weaver started the God Works Family Soup Kitchen in 2005, he wasn’t sure if it would make it through the year. After all, it had no space of its own. It relied solely on volunteers, and it needed $60,000 in local donations a year to operate.

Nineteen years later, the non-denominational soup kitchen is still going strong. On Friday, God Works served its 1 millionth meal to a local person in need.

“I never had any idea (we’d reach this),” said Jeff Weaver, 67, of Monroe.

On Friday, Weaver officially retired as the ministry's director, and the 1 millionth meal was served to one of the 100 clients at the community meal at Monroe's St. Mary Catholic Church. On the menu were mostaccioli, salad, mixed fruit, green beans, homemade bread and a decorated cake.

“Someone here will have the 1 millionth meal,” said Fred Fedorowicz before the dinner began. Fedorowicz has been a point person for the St. Mary meals for about 15 years. He’s taking over Weaver’s director position.

“I have the experience. I thought, that’s what I should do with that: use it,” Fedorowicz said.

God Works offers at least one dinner in Monroe County at 6 every night of the week. The meals are currently served at churches in Monroe, Temperance, Ottawa Lake, Dundee and Flat Rock.

In the early years, God Works planned to build its own commercial kitchen. Instead, Weaver and the board asked Monroe County churches if they could use their spaces to put on a meal once a week. The first dinner, held in October, 2005, was at Weaver’s home church, Monroe's St. Paul United Methodist. Attending were 75 people.

After the first meal, the board set the goal of serving a hot meal seven days a week, according to Monroe News archives.

“It’s so needed,” Bonnie Frey of Erie, then secretary-treasurer of God Works, said in 2005. “We’re just overcome by need.”

More churches and volunteers joined the ministry.

“The belief was a lot of giving people want to help. Give them an opportunity and they will,” Weaver said on Friday. “The community is filled with people who want to help each other. We’ve had over 3,000 volunteers. We’re still in the black. We only pay someone to audit us each year. There are no administrative costs.”

Clients come to God Works' meals for a number of reasons. Many are homeless, but some are low-income or find themselves low on money and food. Others are lonely.

“All the reasons are valid,” Weaver said. “We want to let people keep their dignity. There’s no checks, no sign-ins. We feed all who are hungry. They just sit down at the table and can eat.”

Bionca Griffin of Monroe attended Friday’s celebratory dinner with her five young children.

Griffin learned about God Works a few months ago. Since then, she's tried to come to dinner every week.“The people are always very nice. The meal is really nice,” Griffin said.

One of Griffin’s daughters, Malaya, 8, said she enjoys seeing her friends at the meals. She also likes when they serve chicken.

Another attendee at Friday's celebration was Richard Vancena, 82, of Monroe.His wife, Audrey, died in 2003. Audrey did most of the cooking in their household.

About four months ago, Vancena learned about the God Works meals from The Monroe News. In addition to Friday’s dinner at St. Mary Church, he attends a weekly meal at Trinity Lutheran Church. He also eats regularly at Monroe Center for Healthy Aging.

Vancena enjoys both the meals and the comradery. At St. Mary he met two men who share a name. The three sit together every Friday.

“We’re both Bob,” one of Vancena’s companions said.

Before Friday's dinner, Weaver received a proclamation from Sen. Joseph Bellino Jr., R-Monroe. It was read by Bellino staffer Tracy Oberleiter of Monroe. Weaver also received a plaque. It said, in part, “Never underestimate the difference you have made and the lives you have touched.”

“He’s the glue. He’s done a great job,” said Lillian Williamson, God Works' treasurer for the last 17 years.“Without him, we’d never be here today,” Fedorowicz said.

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In 2012, Weaver was named Food Hero for Monroe County and was honored at the Relish food show. Although retiring as director, Weaver said he still wants to be part of the God Works ministry. He was at Friday’s celebration with his wife, Holli, and their daughter, Lindsay.

“It’s been quite a run,” Weaver said. “I’ll miss the people, the volunteers, the clients. The clients are very appreciative. My daughter once said I’m a celebrity among homeless people."

God Works Family Soup Kitchen's community meals

Sundays: Trinity Lutheran Church, 323 Scott St. in MonroeMondays: Solid Rock Church, 77 Wadsworth St. in Monroe; St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 1690 W. Sterns Road, TemperanceTuesdays: St. Paul United Methodist Church, 201 S. Monroe St. in MonroeWednesdays: Oaks of Righteousness Village, 924 E. Second St. in Monroe; First Congregational Church of Christ, 26250 E. Huron River Drive, Flat Rock; St. John Lutheran Church, 460 Riley St., DundeeThursdays: Crossroads Church, 6960 Sylvania-Petersburg Road, Ottawa Lake; First Presbyterian Church, 108 Washington St. in MonroeFridays: St. Mary Catholic Church, 151 N. Monroe St. in Monroe

Saturdays: Salvation Army Church, 815 E. First St. in MonroeFor information, to volunteer or to make a donation, call 734-349-6423 or email GWSoupKitchen@gmail.com. Donations also can be mailed to P.O. Box 962, Monroe 48161. To learn more, visit gwsoupkitchen.com/html/Index.html .

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com .

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: God Works Family Soup Kitchen serves 1 millionth meal