Thirty-five years ago on the Near Eastside, several church congregations realized that many of the children in the area did not have a safe place to go during the summer. As a result, they got together and developed what became known as Westminster Neighborhood Services. Focusing on at-risk children on the Near Eastside, Westminster developed summer activities, and then full summer programming in order to keep those children off of the streets while also teaching them practical skills.
What began as a summer program expanded to serve children throughout the year. This programming later developed into an after-school and mentoring program. Soon after, Westminster discovered that it was not only the children in the area that needed help, but families and adults as well. As a result, a food pantry, soup kitchen, clothing clinic, and free health services through Gennesaret Free Clinic are now provided all year round. Adult education classes, such as HSE (formerly GED) and ESL, counseling, and computer classes were also added as services to the community.
Through their many services, Westminster seeks to address poverty and hunger in diverse ways. While receiving assistance from food banks and other organizations in the area, Westminster realized that hot meals would add even more to their programming. As a result, a relationship with Second Helpings was born, one which began with the soup kitchen and expanded to the after-school program.
The first program supported by Second Helpings, the soup kitchen at Westminster, is open two times a week on Mondays and Thursdays. About 210 Second Helpings meals are delivered on each of those days to Westminster, and anyone can come to receive a meal.
“Second Helpings brings the healthy meal, and we add fruits and vegetables to make it even healthier,” Interim Executive Director Chrissy Petersen explained. “It gives us the opportunity to give 300 of our neighbors a warm, healthy meal. It fulfills a very basic need. Some may not eat otherwise.” During cold, winter months, these meals provide even more warmth and fulfill an obvious need for those on the Near Eastside.
For the children in the after-school program, the meals also fulfill a necessary need. “100% of the kids in our programs are in poverty. Hunger is huge with the kids here. These full meals provide enjoyment to them, and also eases the burden on parents. Without these meals, the kids may not receive dinner,” Petersen and K-8 Director Courtney Williams remarked.
Williams also sees the meals as a learning experience for the children. “While we ensure that they do their homework and also learn life skills through experiences such as field trips, the meals provide another tool for learning. For example, through Second Helpings we served pork chops. Some of the children didn’t know how to use a knife and a fork together, so we used the experience to teach them how to use those utensils. We use the casseroles to teach them about vegetables, including peppers. We will often receive crates of fresh fruit – many of the families can’t afford fruit. Once, we received papaya. One girl loved it so much – she had never tasted nor seen one before, and she wanted another one to take home to her family. We eventually went out and bought her one so that she could teach her family and have them try the papaya.”
With a 40% poverty rate and a median income level of $27,900, the Near Eastside suffers from abject poverty. Westminster provides critical services to this area in need, and Second Helpings meals provides the financial ability for Westminster to focus on its other services. “A lot of people know about hunger, but don’t understand how deep poverty is. It’s close to home – there are many people in this community who struggle. Westminster is a supportive place to come and get help with basic needs. In addition, it empowers individuals and families to tear down barriers that hold them within poverty’s clutches,” Petersen explained. “Second Helpings’ reach goes far, and it equips smaller organizations to do more and not have to worry about food costs. We’ve seen an increase in number over the years, so our services and Second Helpings services to us are more critical than ever before.”
“We love our partnership with Second Helpings. With their help, we want to change people’s lives. While it’s hard, we will continue to fight in order to fulfill these basic needs and empower people to live full lives.”