Newspaper Articles

Community meal program takes shape

By Antoinette Rahn

September 17, 2003

Tribune Staff Writer

A group of South Wood County community leaders and churches are teaming up to help the neighborhood, one meal at a time.

The Neighborhood Table follows the example of the Bread Basket in Waupaca. The Bread Basket is a weekly community meal and a brown bag lunch held on Saturday for people faced with economic needs. Nearly 250 people are served each week in Waupaca. With South Wood County's first Neighborhood Table community meal scheduled for Dec. 31, a lot of preparation is needed before hot meals and good company are brought together.

There is plenty of room for people to help, said Ginny Steen, organizer of the community meal. A planning meeting will take place at the First Congregational Church in Wisconsin Rapids on Monday. "We want this to be a long-term community-based program for everyone to be part of," Steen said. "It's an outreach ministry for the community, done by the community. I just believe if we could help by providing a hot meal and place of fellowship to those whose economic support has been lost, we would be helping a lot of people in a way not previously seen in our town."

Steen's idea of adapting the Waupaca program into a monthly program in South Wood County came about more than three years ago. After hearing about the success of the Waupaca program, Steen sought local input on the idea. Response wasn't overwhelming, so she filed it in her "for another day" pile. The day came when Steen's granddaughter, Katelynn Hass, inspired by her own similar experience volunteering at a similar community meal site in Neenah , prompted her to renew the efforts. "When Katelynn returned from Neenah this summer, she asked me if I remembered when I wanted to start a community meal here, and then she said, Grandma, I definitely think we have this," Steen said. "So I started making the calls, and we have already seen a tremendous amount of community interest."

A steady flow of community support began after Steen contacted First Congregational Church, First English Lutheran Church and United Methodist Church in Wisconsin Rapids. A committee began to take shape and through a $1,000 grant from the Community Foundation of South Wood County, an idea started to become reality. "We simply feel it's good to be involved in something that provides meals to those in need," said Gladys Jaehn of Wisconsin Rapids. "With our economy and job situation the way it is, this program will probably meet a lot of needs in our area." Jaehn and her husband Al, are among committee representatives of First English Lutheran church. The Neighborhood Table's reach, whether in serving or bringing people together to serve, entwines many areas of the community.

As a group in the Heart of Wisconsin Leadership program, one of the assignments we have to work on is a program that has an impact and is ongoing after our classes are done," said Joanne Keyzer of Wisconsin Rapids and leadership class member. "When this idea was brought to us we really thought that some of the expertise we have to offer are things the committee needs. We know there are things like promotion, finding volunteers and funding that we can help with, so we joined the group. It's an exciting program to be a part of."

The impact of such a program is far-reaching and long-lasting, said the Rev. Key Diaz, of the United Methodist Church in Port Edwards. Although Diaz has only been in the community for three months, as a previous resident of Madison, New York, and the Dominican Republic, he has seen the value this type of program has for the whole of the community. "There are people who may not be asking for help, but may not be asking for help, but may be in need and this shows them the community supports them and they aren't alone," said Diaz.

You can reach reporter Antoinette Rahn at 423-6726 or Antoinette.rahn@cwnews.net

The Neighborhood Table services the communities of Wisconsin Rapids, Nekoosa, Port Edwards, Wisconsin and surrounding areas