Feed the Hungry

Bend's Community Center opens its doors each Sunday afternoon to help feed and clothe those most in need. Started in 2005, the Feed The Hungry program (FTH) is now the largest food kitchen in Central Oregon, providing up to 800-1,000 meals per week to hungry and homeless men, women and children in our community. Every Sunday afternoon, BCC provides a free hot meal (and sack lunches and leftovers to go) along with hundreds of meals for residents of Bethlehem Inn, other local food kitchens and the surrounding homeless camps.

Keep Them Warm is a related initiative that collects and distributes free camping and outdoor survival equipment (e.g. tents, sleeping bags, coats, tarps, gloves, etc.) to the homeless. Showers and laundry facilities at BCC are also made available at no charge (although reservations are required due to hall rentals and staffing needs).

PROGRAM HOURS: Each Sunday from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm (Doors open at 1:00 pm and the meal is served from 2:00 to 5:00. Participants are free to socialize, watch TV, or just get out of the heat or cold).

VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS:
Volunteers are needed to help prepare and/or serve food in shifts of 2-4 hours from 10:00 am - 6:30 pm on Sunday and 9:00 am - 4:00 pm on Friday and Saturday. Please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Jackie Ralph at jackie@bendscommunitycenter.org to see what times are available. There has been such an outpouring of volunteer support from the community that we have had to schedule volunteers and do not recommend walk-ins. Sorry about that!

Cash donations can be sent to BCC (they are tax deductible) - or - you can make an online donation by clicking on the Donate button below. Please make checks payable to Feed The Hungry. Food donations and outdoor survival gear can also be dropped off at any time.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: BCC is seeking community sponsors to assist with the Feed The Hungry program. Local businesses, churches, organizations, schools, civic groups and others can "adopt" one (or more) Sundays a year. The sponsor agrees to provide 6-12 volunteers to set-up, cook, serve and clean-up afterwards. In addition, the group provides $500 to pay for the costs of food, personal care items and other supplies needed to operate the program.

There are also several groups (mostly youth and school) who are more than willing to provide the labor, but not necessarily the funds, so please consider making a donation to support their efforts.

Please call 312-2069 for more information on volunteering and sponsoring Feed The Hungry.