By Priscilla Greear, Staff Writer

ATLANTA—Clarence McCoy has felt true hunger pains, as when he was a boy his mother died and his father had a drinking problem, which drove his family to take food handouts from neighbors.

As 15-year director of the Feed the Hungry program at St. Anthony’s Church in Atlanta, he now cooks and provides free lunches every Tuesday to Friday for 130-170 people who truly need them. “I know what these people go through and I enjoy feeding them,” he said. “When I see the kids it reminds me of myself and I like to see them eat.”

Seasoning faith with works, every week Our Lady of Lourdes Church and St. Anthony’s Church dish out hot, balanced lunches to the homeless and other hungry of Atlanta as part of their outreach ministries.

The St. Anthony’s meal program began nearly 30 years ago, starting out as a senior citizens and community lunch program and shifting focusing around 1980 to the homeless. About 10-15 volunteers support the ministry. On Nov. 7, 125 guests came to St. Anthony’s Adamski Hall, where they ate a menu favorite of beef patties—along with rice, gravy, green beans, dessert and bread. Entrees other days include macaroni beef casserole, and chicken or fish with potatoes and sweet peas. “Every day it’s supposed to be something different,” said McCoy, a staff member. “We never know how many people are coming through the door. You can’t guess how many people are coming. You just try to be as prepared as you can.”

He estimates that 15 percent of the diners, many of whom are women, live in the surrounding area and said recently he’s seen a lot of new people. “Maybe some other place closed down,” he speculated. Many who come volunteer to help out in some way out of gratitude. “I know they appreciate it. They always thank you, especially the senior citizens.”

St. Anthony’s used to offer a Thanksgiving meal but a few years back decided the late Rev. Hosea Williams’ large holiday meal filled people’s needs that day.

Lourdes volunteers Margaret Jones, Barbara Neeley, Ron Chadonia and Thayes Sturgis lead the Lourdes lunch ministry, with about 12 volunteers, The project began when former pastor Msgr. Henry Gracz would feed those who came knocking on his door in hunger. In 1992, when the Capuchin Friars took over the pastoral care of the church on Boulevard, six lay people, along with Brother Efrain Sosa, OFM, Cap., decided to organize this distribution of food. Volunteer Ruby Palmer had been leading it prior to her death in 2000.

They normally feed 145-175 people each day. The meal includes a meat, two vegetables, dessert and a drink. Jones is grateful for her volunteers who “help us a lot” and Catholic Hampton Ward, the ministry’s leading donor of time and goods. Jones said that there are a lot of regular customers and estimates about 40 percent just don’t have enough money, 45 percent are homeless and five percent are working. “It’s a lot of people out there we got is working and don’t have enough money but need a helping hand. These two days will kind of help them and a lot of them are homeless people. We’re just down from the King center. A lot of people that live in that area just come through. They really need our help,” she said. “Several of them are infected with HIV.”

At Christmas the church has a giving tree where the parish collects gloves, hats, socks and toiletries which are given to guests. While Jones admits she actually doesn’t even like to cook, this work nevertheless feeds her own soul. “I just feel good about it. I feel I’m doing something to help the community. People out there they really need a good meal, not just soup and sandwiches,” she said. “That’s part of what the church should do, try to help everybody in the community and these people are a part of the community.”