First Presbyterian Church (FPC) of Charleston, Illinois, has been engaged in mission and ministry for over 190 years. Located in Coles County in east central Illinois, this congregation is aware of and concerned about the needs of the people in Charleston. According to the 2024 census, almost 19% of residents of the county live under the poverty line. Food insecurity has been a challenge for many years. The Charleston school system reports that 47% of the students are on free meal programs. Several years ago, FPC learned that the children received meals only Monday through Thursday during the summer school break. The members of the church organized to fill in the gap, and for two years, simple meals were prepared and delivered by the church to several neighborhoods on Friday. However, the situation changed, and the delivery program through a local volunteer program for Monday through Thursday fell apart. The leadership of FPC jumped into action and created a partnership to prepare and deliver simple meals every weekday to the same neighborhoods during the summer months.
Teams from St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Christ First Church, Wesley United Methodist Church, FPC, and a chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization have joined together for the past three years to collect and pack nonperishable items for snack packs that accompany a freshly made sandwich, fresh fruit and a cheese stick. These efforts are all supervised by members of the churches who have undergone and passed the food safety program offered by the county.
The churches share in the financial cost, as well as collecting the items that make up the nonperishable snack packs. Fruit cups, small bags of chips, individually wrapped desserts, and a spoon and napkin are the basic items in the snack pack. Special treats are offered in the form of toys, coloring pages, crayons and gun safety information.
Amazingly, as the community learns of the summer meal ministry, monetary donations are sent to help the ministry.
During the summer of 2025, this partnership prepared and delivered simple meals to four neighborhoods. Over 3,000 meals were served, while volunteers from the churches and organizations developed relationships with one another, as well as interacting with the people who received the meals. Faithful stewardship is practiced as extra sandwiches are given to several local organizations.
An extra effort last year added another snack pack delivered on Friday for the family. On the Fourth of July, individual pies and ice cream were distributed.
In the middle of the summer, a party at the local city pool is given to the participants of the summer meal ministry. FPC covers the cost of the pool rental, and the other partners help by bringing food for the guests. The families in the neighborhoods help one another by carpooling to the event.
In our meetings, the partners discuss the joys of developing relationships among the volunteers as the various tasks are accomplished, and with the people of the neighborhoods as the food is distributed. The congregation of FPC is grateful for the spirt of generosity and the compassionate heart that God has created among the partners.
Rev. Mary E. Wright, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, Illinois
Let us join in prayer for:
Kristen Leucht, Senior Church Consultant - Los Angeles, CA, Engagement & Church Relations, The Board of Pensions
Clare Lewis, President & CEO, Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program
Let us pray:
Gracious God, thank you for the opportunity to create new relationships among the people of your household as we minister together. May one day the need for food ministries be alleviated as the world comes to live as the wonder of your creation. Amen.
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