We are excited to announce that the Grinnell Community Meal will be serving dinner weekly on Thursdays from 5:30-6 PM at the Grinnell United Methodist Church (GUMC). The Grinnell Community Meal is the result of the consolidation of the Davis Community Meal and the Blessed Community Meal into a single meal. Consolidating the meals will allow for more engagement between organizations and community members and allow us to allocate more resources and funds into one meal, making a meal that will better serve to everyone.
Both the Blessed and Davis Community Meals have done important work feeding hungry families and individuals in the community. The Blessed Community Meal was a meal prepared and served by members of the GUMC every Wednesday evening. During the Covid pandemic, this meal moved to a take-out model that was serving over 150 people a week. Unfortunately, the take-out model was unsustainable, and the Blessed Community
Meal went on hiatus for a couple of months before it returned in May on Thursday evenings. The Davis Community meal, which went on hiatus because of the Covid pandemic, was a non-denominational meal open to all community members that was served by a wide range of community organizations who volunteered with the meal. Over its 22-year history, the Davis Community meal provided a way for numerous community groups, including non-profits, businesses, and churches, to be involved in serving needy members of our community.
We recognize the importance that both these meals have had in the Grinnell Community. That is why, in consolidating them, we aim to reinforce the value offered by both meals through serving a meal that is open to all community members, while also providing community organizations with the opportunity to support the meal. Any support is welcomed, whether it be through volunteering or financial support. We will continue to operate the meals through the assistance and support of community organizations, which will allow for different groups to engage with one another and strengthen the Grinnell community as a whole.
We welcome everyone to join us at the Grinnell Community Meal by signing up at https://tinyurl.com/grinnellcommunitymeal or calling the GUMC office at 641-236-3757 by noon on Wednesdays. These meals are not restricted to any religious group or denomination and are a place where any community member can come to eat and interact with others over a fresh meal.
