F
or more than 30 years, the volunteers and staff of Elfinwild
Home Meals Ministry have been providing meals and visits,
with a smile, to those in need.
Elfinwild Home Meals Ministry is an independent ministry
of Elfinwild Presbyterian Church that began as part of Meals on Wheels
provided by Lutheran Services Society. It became an independent
kitchen and ministry five years ago and is open Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to noon 52 weeks a year.
Kitchen manager Dick Fredline, assisted by Nancy Kriek, is
responsible for coordinating all the activities of the kitchen, including
managing client records and organizing delivery volunteers and routes.
Head cook Pam Dudgeon, assisted by Nic Clare, plans weekly menus
and orders food and supplies. Jim Giel, Jr. serves as treasurer and
ministry liaison. All are members of the Elfinwild Presbyterian Church
where they also serve on other church boards including Deacons,
Trustees and Session.
The organization has four paid staff members and more than 100
volunteers who provide kitchen help and delivery services. Volunteers
come from all around the community and represent various churches
and organizations across Pittsburgh. New volunteers are always
welcome and appreciated.
Elfinwild Home Meals Ministry serves more than 70 clients each
day with nutritious, well-balanced meals. A cold bagged lunch and a
hot meal are provided each day. With these meals, the clients also get a
friendly visit from a delivery volunteer—which can sometimes be the
only outside contact the client receives on a daily basis.
“Our cooks take pride in providing tasty home cooking,” says
Dudgeon. More than 30 entrées are rotated, with new items added
regularly. Lunchmeat is sliced in-house, and meat salads are prepared
from scratch for sandwiches. The cold bagged meal includes a sandwich,
juice, salad, bread and butter, and a sweet treat.
The ministry’s service area includes Shaler, Hampton, Etna and
Sharpsburg as part of seven delivery routes. There are no eligibility rules
required to receive meals. Some clients receive meals for a short period
if they are recovering from illness or surgery. Others are ongoing clients.
“Our ministry is self-sustaining with income from clients—$5
per day to receive meals—as well as donations from the Elfinwild
congregation, local surrounding churches, memorial gifts and local civic
and community service groups,” explains Dudgeon. “The donations
received are used for day-to-day operating expenses for food purchases,
salaries and equipment repair/purchase. We partner with Gordon
Food Service, Marburger Dairy Farms and Silver Star Meats as our
food suppliers. We are also grateful for the daily donations of bread
and baked goods from Mihelic’s SHOP’n SAVE, located on Butler
Street, and for the holiday favors and decorated lunch bags provided by
children from local churches, schools and Scout troops.”
The ministry operates out of the Elfinwild Presbyterian Church
kitchen and is inspected regularly by the Allegheny County Board of
Health. As part of a larger capital campaign at the church, there are
plans to upgrade the facility with new sinks, cabinets, walls, ceilings and
flooring. The cost of this renovation will be approximately $100,000.
“This meal service has blessed many individuals
and families for over 30 years,” says Dudgeon.
“Many adult children and relatives who are out
of the area enroll their loved ones for this service.
It’s a comfort to them to know that their family
member is being provided with good food, and
is being visited on a regular basis. It has been a
privilege for Elfinwild Church to offer this service
to the community for so many years, and we see
God’s hand of blessing for sustaining us with the
needed finances and wonderful volunteers.”
Elfinwild Home Meals Ministry is located at
3200 Mt. Royal Blvd., Glenshaw, 15116. For more
information or to volunteer, call 412.486.8000. n
SHALER ❘ SPRING 2018
13