Meals for the Homeless

Our parish is actively involved in helping those less fortunate. We collect food each month for the East End Cooperative Ministry food pantry, and prepare and serve meals once a month at two area homeless shelters.

Coordinators
Meals for the Homeless
Men's Shelter Meal Online Sign-Up
Women's Shelter Meal Online Sign-up

Meals for the Homeless / Food Pantry Collection Coordinators
The people who dedicate their time to making sure everyone gets a chance to eat.

Women's Shelter Coordinator: Melissa Kosak

Men's Shelter Coordinators: Terri Weir and Trudi Annett

If you have any questions regarding either ministry, please contact the parish office.

Providing Meals for the Homeless

"When I was hungry, you gave Me to eat..."

Each month, the generous parishioners of Christ the King Parish cook and serve 60-75 meals for two homeless shelters in the Pittsburgh area.

Christ the King Parish is responsible for the evening meal at the women’s shelter, Bethlehem Haven, on the first Wednesday of each month, and at the men’s shelter, Community House, located in East Liberty on the fourth Saturday of each month. Each meal usually consists of meat or chicken, a potato or rice dish, vegetable, salad, rolls with butter, dessert and beverage.

Please make the portions as generous as possible; this meal is quite possibly the only meal the men/women will have had all day. When cooking for either shelter, please bring the dishes (hot) to the upper level parking lot of St. Joseph Church (by the electronic signboard) by 3:00pm for the women’s shelter, or 5:15pm for the men’s shelter. If you have signed up to provide the beverage, decaffeinated cans of soda are requested. Two to three servers then take the meals to the shelters. At the men's shelter, you are welcome and encouraged to stay and help serve the meal.

Sign up for the meals is through SignUpGenius. Please click here for the women's shelter sign up; and here for the men's shelter sign up.

You will receive a reminder e-mail two days in advance of the date you signed up for. If you find you cannot cook/serve on the date, please make every effort to find someone to take your place. This will ensure that there is enough food to provide all who are in need with a hearty meal.

Providing a meal for the homeless is a great way for families to join together in helping the less fortunate of our community. The homeless men and women are always very grateful for the time and effort that is put into their meal.

If you have any questions, please call the parish office at 412-963-8885 or email.

Q: I would like to sign up to provide a portion of the meal, but will not be available to deliver it at the designated time. Can I still sign up?

A: With very few exceptions, we ask that you do not sign up if you cannot meet the servers with your food at the designated time. We appreciate your willingness to help; however, it is often difficult or impossible for us to make arrangements to get the food early from you. If you do have the food prepared and find, at the last minute, you cannot meet the servers, please call the coordinator(s) of that shelter and we will attempt to get the food from you.
 
Q: I had all good intentions to make the food I signed up for, but I completely forgot about it when the time came to take it to the church!
 
A: We humans do make mistakes!  A reminder email will be sent to you a day or two before from SignUpGenius. Do whatever works for you to remind yourself – mark it on your calendar, set a timer/reminder on your phone, have a friend call you a few hours before, etc. If all else fails, and you do forget, please call the coordinator(s) of the shelter you are cooking for and let them know, so that they can inform the servers not to wait for your food. If time permits, you may be asked to take it directly to the shelter to give to the servers. PLEASE make every attempt to fulfill your obligation if you sign up!
 
Q: Is it safe to serve at the shelters?
 
A: Very. There are always staff members and guards at the shelters, and servers are always in teams of two or more. The men and women at the shelters are very grateful for the meal, and the time commitment you give them.
 
Q: I signed up to make 25 servings of chicken. Can I just make 25 drumsticks?
 
A: We ask that you make all portions as generous as possible. A drumstick per person (especially men) won’t really be a filling meal. Breasts or thighs would be a better choice. Keep in mind, this meal may be the ONLY food they have had all day, depending on their circumstances.