A Reflection by Pastor Desirée
Last week, I had the privilege of joining Mount Olivet's Every Meal volunteer team for their final shift of the school year at Northport Elementary School in Brooklyn Center. I arrived expecting to observe a meaningful ministry. I left deeply moved by the people who make it happen.
Every Meal is a Minnesota nonprofit dedicated to addressing child hunger by helping fill food gaps when children are not in school and don't have access to school meal programs. Through partnerships with schools and volunteers, Every Meal provides nutritious weekend food bags for children and families experiencing food insecurity.
Every Meal is also one of Mount Olivet's ministry partners. Through the work of our Benevolence Board, 10% of members' pledged giving is distributed to support organizations that share our commitment to loving and serving our neighbors. Every Meal is one of the recipients of that generosity, helping ensure that children and families have access to nutritious food when school meals are not available.
What makes the program especially thoughtful is that families can choose from several food bag options designed around different cultural food traditions and dietary preferences, helping ensure that the food provided is both familiar and meaningful to the families receiving it.
But this story is not only about an organization. It is about people.
What struck me most was the faithfulness of our Mount Olivet team. Week after week, they show up. They know the routine. They know the school. Most importantly, they know the children and families who rely on this support.
The work itself is remarkably efficient. This team moves with the ease and confidence that comes from years of serving together. Food is sorted, counted, and distributed with care and precision. There is a rhythm to their work. There is also laughter. Throughout the shift, there was gentle teasing, stories shared, and plenty of smiles. It was clear that this is a group that genuinely enjoys one another. Their camaraderie is not separate from the ministry; it is part of what sustains it. The joy they bring to the work is contagious.
As we talked, team members spoke not about the tasks they perform, but about the children. They spoke about recognizing faces year after year. They spoke about caring for families they may never know well but have come to love through consistent presence. They spoke about the importance of knowing that these bags of food will help make the weekend a little easier for a family facing difficult circumstances.
Again and again, I heard the same theme: relationships matter.
While the children may not know every volunteer's name, they know someone cares enough to show up. They know that each week there will be food waiting for them. This ministry reminds us of the power of faithfulness. Faithful ministry and love of neighbor look like showing up on a regular school day. It looks like carrying boxes and loading carts. It looks like doing the same thing week after week because you know it matters.
After our shift, the team gathered at 50's Grill for ice cream and conversation to celebrate another year of service. As I listened to their stories, I found myself grateful for the countless ways God works through ordinary people doing extraordinary things with consistency, compassion, and love.
The Every Meal team embodies what it means to be the church beyond our walls. They are feeding hungry children, certainly. But they are also offering dignity, care, and hope. They are reminding families that they are seen and valued. And they are demonstrating that acts of faithfulness, repeated week after week, can change lives.
Thank you to every member of this remarkable team. Your commitment, your joy, and your love for the Northport community are an inspiration. Mount Olivet is blessed by your ministry, and so are the children and families you serve.
If reading about this ministry inspires you to help out on the ministry team or donate financially, please reach out to me, and I will connect you!
