10 Volunteers Cook 60 Meals Monthly for Those in Need

The smell of fresh-baked cookies filled the kitchen at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church as Ernie Smith pulled another tray from the oven. Around him, nine other volunteers chopped peppers, browned ground beef, and packed tater tots for their monthly mission: feeding 60 people at Resurrection House.

Every month for at least five years, this team has gathered to cook hot meals for the Sarasota organization that serves neighbors experiencing homelessness and poverty. On July 23, they whipped up sloppy Joes, buttered vegetables, cookies, and ice cream in under 30 minutes.

"Many hands make light work," said Karyn Smith, one of the volunteers sporting the team's signature hand-embroidered blue aprons. The speed comes from years of practice and genuine joy in the work.

Gayle Galloway, who chairs the church's community service ministry, says the tradition runs so deep that no one remembers exactly when it started. What matters is how it makes everyone feel good, from the volunteers chopping onions to the guests receiving warm plates.

Chef Pete Wallace manages the Resurrection House kitchen, where he serves breakfast and lunch five days a week to 45 to 75 people depending on the day. The end of each month gets especially busy when benefits run low.

Wallace previously worked at country clubs but finds this role more fulfilling. He balances nutrition with comfort, serving lasagna, roasted chicken, and potatoes au gratin. His favorite day each year is the Friday before Christmas, when the organization hosts a holiday party with a prize raffle.

Several area churches contribute meals throughout the month, including St. Boniface Episcopal, St. Patrick Catholic, and First Congregational Church of Sarasota. These donations help stretch the kitchen's monthly food budget and ensure everyone gets nutritious, calorie-dense meals.

Sunny's Take

Beyond the monthly cooking, St. Armands Key Lutheran Church partners with multiple local nonprofits year-round. This November, they're planning something bigger: packing 50,000 meals for Kids Against Hunger, more than double last year's 20,000.

Those meals will reach families far beyond Sarasota. Last year, some packages went to Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa devastated the island.

Anyone can join, even without cooking skills. The church welcomes volunteers willing to help transport food or pack meals during the November event.

In a kitchen where strangers become friends over cookie trays and vegetable prep, these volunteers prove that feeding bodies also nourishes souls.