Hot Meals program at St. John ends abruptly

The Hot Meals program run by Catholic Social Services of Summit County and CYO for more than 20 years ended abruply June 3 when the last free meal was served..

The meals have been offered on Tuesdays at St. John Catholic Church, 1034 Brown St., and on Wednesdays at Catholic Social Services of Summit County, 640 N. Main St., according to Donald P. Finn, executive director of the organization.

There were two factors involved, according to a story in the Akron Beacon Journal today. . One was the resignation of Hot Meals coordinator Donna McDonald, who had worked for the agency for 41/2 year. Finn said. She resigned in mid-May to become a dispatcher with Cuyahoga Falls safety forces.

Another reason is that St. John Church is closing Oct. 31, and Finn said it is unclear whether that location will still be available.,

The free meals are expected to resume in the Fall and a food pantry and emergency assistance program that also are run by the organization will continue through the summer..

Finn said he could have ''cobbled something together'' but instead decided to suspend the program and develop a plan to help the program expand ''simply because the need is there.''

Finn said he is taking this time to make the program better and to find new locations for the meals.

''I think someone should have done something,'' said Joan Feaster, who has volunteered with the group for four years.

Even if the program served only hot dogs and chips, she said, that was better than people going without.

FInn said staffers have handed out lists of other options where people can get free meals.

''We made a point to get to all of our meals'' to tell people and explain their ''alternate options,'' he said.

But, he acknowledged, if those people don't have transportation, it could be a challenge for them to get to another site for a meal.

The need has been increasing because of the economic downturn, with an average of about 160 people being served weekly for the first five months of this year.

Feaster estimated that the church, where she volunteered, served between 120 and 220 plates of food each week, depending on the time of the month and the weather.

Along with people who are homeless and on fixed incomes, the program attracted families that were trying to stretch their food budget, Feaster said.

Others came because they were lonely and wanted to spend time with other people, she said. Participants were young and old and in between.

The meals were served to anyone who showed up.

''We don't question people about why,'' Finn said.