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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Visitors to the Our Daily Bread program line up for a hot lunch at First United Methodist Church in Graham. The annual program will begin this year Monday, July 7 and run through Friday, Aug. 8. -
(BRONWEN CHOATE | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Volunteers take a group shot before serving at the Our Daily Bread program in 2024 at First United Methodist Church in Graham. This year’s program will begin Monday, July 7 at the FUMC McCree Hall.
Our Daily Bread will begin the second week of July at First United Methodist Church serving hot lunches and take-home meals for all in the community.
The 14th annual program will be held at 11:30 a.m. weekdays starting Monday, July 7 and running through Friday, Aug. 8 at the FUMC McCree Hall.
Transportation will be provided by FUMC if scheduled the day before by calling 940-549-0970.
Bronwen Choate, who organizes the event each year with the help of volunteers, said the program began as a way to continue providing a meal for children following the end of the school summer meal program.
“We provide a free hot meal and sack supper for anyone in the community that wants it,” Choate said. “There are no requirements (and) no paperwork to fill out, except emergency contact for food allergies and that kind of thing.”
Graham ISD’s annual summer meal program, which provided free breakfast and lunch for children 18 and younger at Pioneer Elementary School, concluded Thursday, June 19.
Choate said the purpose of the program has expanded from just serving children in the summer to serving nutritious meals to all in the community and welcoming them for fellowship.
“Many of the people that started out strictly as guests now volunteer,” Choate said. “They'll come early and help make the sandwiches, or they'll do the drinks, or they'll work on the salad bar, or they'll hand out the sack supper. I think they're appreciative because they want to help.”
FUMC opens the program to all the community, it is not just for members of their church or those looking to join the church. Additionally, the volunteers in the program supply food to several homebound individuals in the community.
Service groups within the community volunteer for a day or week to help out with the event each year. To volunteer to assist with the program, the FUMC office has a signup sheet to participate. The church also accepts both monetary and food donations for the program.
FUMC has a community garden that is used each year to help supply food for the program. This year, volunteers helped to grow and pick beets, onions, potatoes and tomatoes which will be used as ingredients for meals.
