St. Matthew United Methodist Mobile Meals helps residents in need

By Alyssa Dalley-Schofield

Midwest City Beacon

Parishioners at St. Matthew United Methodist in Midwest City are helping feed those in need. 

Church volunteers prepare and deliver food to homebound elderly residents and those with disabilities each week. Originally the program was known as Douglas Blvd. Mobile Meals which started in the 1990s and became the Mobile Meals Program in 2008.

The program feeds about 160 people per week. Twenty volunteers help to prepare two hot meals and two nonperishable meals which ultimately ends up providing four meals per week.

“The people we serve become like family,” said director Jenifer Cameron. “We see over Spencer, Midwest City, Harrah, Choctaw and part of Oklahoma City so we’re spread out through the area and so we have drivers that will serve the same group every time and so we get a little attached to them and they’re like family.

Cameron says the church partners with Oklahoma Regional Food Bank. Earlier this month, the church received a truck load of 19,000 pounds of food that goes toward the meals.

“They have helped us grow to serve more homebound seniors by providing a way to reduce the cost of the food we serve,” said assistant director Donna Bassham.

The Mobile Meals program also partners with Ending Hunger of Oklahoma County to expand East. 

“This program is so important to me that it is a part of my heart,” said Bassham. “If we can do our little piece in Eastern Oklahoma County, we feel like we are answering the call and we are so thankful that we are able to do this.”