Thanks to an enthusiastic response from businesses and volunteers, free hot suppers will be complementing the existing community hot lunch program.

When the St. Andrew's United Church reached out for support for the hot lunch program, they received an even better than expected response, says Rev. Ray Goodship.

Now they are preparing to launch the first of five free hot suppers on Feb. 3.

"We've got the capacity now," he says. We couldn't have done it without the help we received for the community lunches," he explains.

The hot suppers will be held on the first Monday of the month. Details are being finalized. It will initially be undertaken by the church's congregation. 

"Once we get going, we might be looking for a little more community involvement. First, we'll start it on our own to build it and come up with what it looks like," he says.

He suspects it may attract a different cross-section of people.

"We're anticipating a number of single folks, even older single folks, that maybe work during the day and go home to an empty house. Having a place to go that is friendly and warm where they don't have to cook might enrich their lives."

He believes the hot meal programs resonate with people, especially after they have volunteered in the kitchen.

"It's not like a restaurant, it's quite different. The atmosphere, interactions, and conversations; people get it after they've seen it first-hand."

Besides generous sponsorships, there has been no shortage of volunteers stepping forward. Teams of four or five prepare the food, then double as the cleanup crew. They must sign up in advance and can do so online or at the church.

"I think a lot of people are looking for an opportunity to volunteer, but they don't want to be part of an ongoing club or serve on a board. There are certain folk that like that, but there are other folks who just want to offer casual help."

The church's congregation launched the free hot lunch program in September 2015. Since then, they've been held weekly on Tuesdays from September through May. Freshly made soup, a bun, dessert, and refreshments are served from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the church

It's common to see 60 to 80 people at the lunches from all walks of life.

More details are available here.