Listen to this article
Corps partners with Faith Evangelical Church to feed the hungry.
The Salvation Army in Billings, Mont., inherited its feeding program in 2009 when the Montana Rescue Mission turned over the program and a van—named “Fireball”—to the corps. In 2011, the Army connected the ministry with the area’s Growing Community program, which supports local community gardens, to take advantage of agricultural initiatives.
Recently, the corps retired the 1978 Fireball van, used to deliver food for the re-named Community Table program, but made no plans to retire the food deliveries.
“The need has certainly grown as people are having a rougher go,” said Corps Officer Major Linda Jackson. “The meals at least help people stretch their resources.”
Pastor Rob Johnson and members of Faith Evangelical Church of Billings have been preparing and delivering food with the Community Table program for two years. Members of the church held a fundraiser, collecting $4,800, and purchased a 10-year-old FedEx truck, which they refurbished repaired.
Each weeknight, Community Table volunteers staff this truck and another one, and spend up to three hours making 20 stops with food, delivering about 400 meals a night. Each route is a 20-mile round trip: a $200-a-week gas expense.
The Army believes the outcome outweighs the cost, and Johnson maintains that no one’s spiritual needs can be met if their basic needs for food and shelter aren’t met first. Jackson added that driving through the community also alerts the volunteers to other needs.
About 70 percent of those served are children. During summer months, the Army often doubles its daily meals. In 2011, Community Table served 102,000 meals.
“The program truly is a community table—a community effort for our community members,” said Krista Ness, outreach ministries coordinator and Community Table director. “And it’s so important. You go out in these trucks and see young kids come up to the window…this might be the only meal they’ll have all day.”
