Giving to those in need during Thanksgiving

LCO, November 2020

This Thanksgiving, Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) availed another opportunity to collaborate with St. Francis Community Kitchen, a local charity in Sutherlin, Oregon. Twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, St. Francis Community Kitchen serves hot meals to people in need. They also regularly give out bags of grab-and-go packaged meals.

It’s been 10 years since LCO began working with St. Francis Community Kitchen. Each year we donate baked goods for the Thanksgiving meal that they serve the afternoon before Thanksgiving. This year, we contacted St. Francis Community Kitchen to see if they needed our assistance again. They were very happy to hear from us! St. Francis Community Kitchen shared that the Covid outbreak has made this year especially challenging for many people. They have seen a definite increase in people needing food.

On the morning of Wednesday November 25, the eve of Thanksgiving, the Lighthouse Center Bakery kitchen was a lively scene of activity once again! LCO volunteers used the bakery’s facilities to bake 60 loaves of fresh bread and 80 rolls. We also baked 100 desserts in an assortment of pumpkin muffins, cranberry nut muffins, and pumpkin danish. That afternoon, we delivered the freshly baked goods to St. Francis Community Kitchen as they were busily preparing for the Thanksgiving meal.

After the event, the Manager of St. Francis Community Kitchen, Gail Francis wrote, “Thank you all at the Lighthouse for all the wonderful baked breads, pastries and rolls.”

LCO continues on a regular basis throughout the year to provide food for the free meals served on Mondays and Wednesdays at St. Francis Community Kitchen. Currently they are serving about 90 people and families each meal.