The Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Souderton’s E-Meal Ministry food program surpassed the one meals mark in late January. (Courtesy of Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church)
The Souderton church provides the meals through its E-Meal Ministry, a “No Questions Asked” program
The Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church reached a significant milestone recently after serving one million meals to community members in need.
The Souderton church provides the meals through its E-Meal Ministry, a “No Questions Asked” program that serves bagged lunches six days per week and family boxes on Saturdays.
“It’s wonderful news,” said volunteer Joan Grasmeder. “It shows that we’re filling an important need in the community.”
Pastor John Heidgerd and wife Ann Marie launched the program in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, originally offering just bagged lunches. It was initially designed to be a temporary pandemic-era assistance program.
“We expected after COVID that it would stop,” said program coordinator Cheryl Starke. “But there was such a need that we just kept going.”
In the ensuing years, the E-Meal Ministry has evolved into a large-scale operation powered by dozens of volunteers and a network of local partners, namely area businesses and food banks that donate excess food to the church. Volunteers spend hours collecting, sorting and packing the food before distributing them directly into the recipients’ vehicles.
On average, the program serves between 50 and 90 meals on weekdays and between 220 and 250 meals on Saturdays. Starke said the numbers have risen considerably since the program began.
“There’s definitely been an increase,” said Starke. “When the program started, it was not to this extent. It goes up and down, but on the whole, it stays pretty high.”
Coordinator Cheryl Starke (right) and volunteers distribute meals to community members.
Volunteers ready food bags for distribution.
Cars line up at the back entrance of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church.
Volunteers Joan Grasmeder and Sandy Thompson pack food bags.
Coordinator Cheryl Starke displays a refrigerator stocked with meats.The church reached one million meals in late January, marking the occasion with a photo of volunteers displaying the number. Starke said that the milestone underscores the program’s urgency in the community.
“It’s so nice when you hear somebody say, ‘I’m starting a new job next week, and this is such a big help to keep food on my table until I get paid,’” said Starke. “It’s not gonna feed them for a week, but it’s enough to help.”
“This is what you would consider to be an affluent community,” added volunteer Fred Crouthamel. “You think there’s nobody here that would go hungry, but there’s a lot of what you would call ‘invisible poor.’ You don’t see them. They’re not on the street, but they exist here.”
With strong community support, Starke expects the E-Meal Ministry to continue its operation for the foreseeable future. While surpassing the one million meals mark, she cites the mark left in the community as most significant.
“They’re just so full of gratitude that we are able to do this and give people food that they need,” said Starke. “I think that’s more important than numbers.”
The E-Meal Ministry program runs Mondays through Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.emmanuellutheranchurch.net/the-e-meal-ministry.
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