By: Kennon Paulk
Volunteers for the Macon Outreach Ministry prepare for the day's lunch service. The Macon Outreach Ministry serves lunch out of their kitchen from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays.
Waters line the top of the serving area as volunteers set up their assembly line of service. Macon Outreach Ministry works completely through their volunteers.
A volunteer wraps and stacks silverware for the individuals who come by for lunch. Macon Outreach also utilizes a food pantry and clothes closet to help those in the Macon area.
A volunteer grabs gloves before serving to ensure a clean eating environment for those who use the food kitchen. All volunteers use gloves regardless if they are cleaning trays or serving food.
A volunteer puts a piece of chicken on a tray. The food kitchen has a rotating menu to make sure all individuals who use the food kitchen get a variety of meals.
A volunteer places greens onto the tray and passes it down the assembly line. The food kitchen preps the first few trays to prevent line build up.
A volunteer scoops mac and cheese to complete the food tray for the day. All of their food is cooked in house so all individuals who use the kitchen get fresh meals every day.
The tray full of food sits ready to be picked up by anyone who wants to stop by and grab a meal at the food kitchen. The kitchen serves over 1,500 meals every week.
Robin Frischkorn (left) and Robin Harris pray over the meal before serving. Frischkorn is the director of operations at the Macon Outreach Ministry with Harris as the volunteer coordinator.
Individuals wait in line to get a tray from the food kitchen. The Macon Outreach Ministry has been in operation since 1971 according to their website.
A volunteer sets out desserts while a person grabs a dessert for themselves. The Macon Outreach Ministry keeps a rotation of volunteers to create a variety of faces for those who frequent the kitchen.
Volunteer Dennis smiles at the camera while serving those coming by the food kitchen. If people who can't make it to help in person still want to contribute to the kitchen they can donate canned goods to the Macon Outreach food pantry.
The dining room fills with those who stopped by to grab a meal from the kitchen. The Macon Outreach Ministry is the largest non-residential congregate feeding ministry in the Macon area.
Volunteers restock waters as those who are eating grab a few to take with them to their table. Many individuals take some items with them when they leave the kitchen as well.
A tray is dumped into the trash can to help make the cleaning process easier. Trays are used to eliminate waste on paper trays.
A volunteer pushes the trays into a dishwasher to make sure they are able to be used the next day. On Wednesday, there were over 50 trays to be cleaned.
A volunteer wipes off a table and slowly starts to clear out the dining room. These tables and chairs will all be wiped down to keep the room clean for the next day.
Robin Frischkorn smiles after finishing up another successful day at the food kitchen. With all of the in person individuals served and to-go plates counted, the ministry served 90 total people on Wednesday.
