For nearly 20 years, UUC has partnered with Teen Feed, a non-profit that provides services, support and meals to homeless teens. Through nightly meals and street outreach, Teen Feed fosters trusting relationships with youth, and then offers support and resources that enable them to establish a plan to stabilize their lives. The Second Sunday Plate Collection this month supports our congregation's long-time engagement with Teen Feed.

Our UUC Meal Team is an intergenerational crew with congregants as young as 13 and others well into their 70's—currently, there are about 30 engaged from our congregation. Over Labor Day, UUC teams prepared two meals. And, this Sunday, our UUC Meal Team will be hard at work preparing and serving another meal in the social hall at University Lutheran Church. 

These meals, prepared nightly, by teams from congregations like ours, create an opportunity for Teen Feed advocates to meet with teens individually—allowing them to build trust with the teens and connect them to resources. The nightly meals are essential to teens experiencing homelessness—for some, it may be their only nutritious meal that day. Just as important though, are the relationships that Teen Feed advocates develop while sharing a meal and helping teens map out a plan toward stability.

Through Teen Feed, we create a Beloved Community with others from UUC and with the teens we meet each month. Alisan Tucker-Giesy, part of our UUC Meal Team, offers this glimpse into the impact of Teen Feed's work:

Last summer, after serving as a kitchen lead for the UUC Meal Team, I stopped by my bank to deposit a reimbursement check for the grocery supplies. When I gave my check to the teller, he noticed "Teen Feed" in the memo line and inquired, "What do you do for Teen Feed?" When I told him that I led a team of volunteers from my church that prepared and served a recent meal, he smiled and said "Thank you for doing that. Teen Feed was my refuge in 2019-2020." I agreed with him that those were tough years. We completed my transaction and he wished me a good day. I thanked him and hoped he would take good care. I wish I had been articulate enough to thank him for the gift he had just given me: letting me know that our work matters and is a part of giving hope to teens to enable them to find their way to a better life.

On October 13, contributing to the Second Sunday Plate Collection benefits our work with Teen Feed. Funds are dedicated to cover the groceries and supplies for the 18 meals prepared and served by our UUC Teen Feed Meal Team.

If you'd like to learn more about Teen Feed, or find out how to join our UUC Meal Team, contact Pam.