Have you or a loved one been in the hospital or have just gotten out and were told you should rest for a few days?

Do you have a new baby in the house?

Wouldn't it be great to have a home cooked meal delivered to your house?

Meal Angels are volunteers who buy the food, prepare the meals and deliver them to the families homes. We fix meals for families who are in need assistance with meals due to health reasons, elderly living alone and for families with a newborn to give them a few weeks to get settled and welcome their new "addition" to the family.

How Meal Angels Was Started

Meal Angels started in July 2009 when a couple from the Parish needed help. The wife was diagnosed with cancer. She mentioned that the husband could not boil water and she longed for home cooked meals. We got a call from our Parish office asking if we could arrange meals for them. From there, the Ministry grew. Eventually, we were asked to take over the Fishes and Loaves Ministry which had been preparing meals for families who had just had a new baby.

Meal Angels Giving History

Volunteers have provided and delivered over 9,200 meals to over 80 different families.

Since Lent of 2010 the Knights of Columbus have donated meals from their Lenten Fish Fry to some of our families.

There are over 400 people who receive Meal Angel emails. Some receive them so they can include the families in their prayers. Of these people, around 150 to 175 are "Meal Angels" preparing and delivering food.

Volunteer Information

When information is received about a family in need, an email is sent to the volunteers’ emails. They are told the dates meals are needed, information about any special dietary needs, and the number of people in the family. We schedule meals one month at a time. Volunteers that can help email back the dates they are available to prepare meals. Then they are emailed back a verification that the date requested is still available and the address to the family's home. No names are given out, only the addresses.

We request that the meals consist of salad, entrée with meat, potato, vegetable, sometimes rolls and a dessert. Meals should be brought to the families in disposable containers. They are delivered cooked and ready to eat. Each family has a cooler on their front porch that the meal is placed in during the time specified. If the person does not have a cooler, the Knights of Columbus will provided one for them. You don't have to ring the doorbell when delivering, just place the meal in the cooler. The family knows to look in the cooler during specified times. This protects their privacy and does not make them answer the door if they are not feeling up to it. There are some families who prefer that you ring the doorbell, this will be in the delivery information.

There are some "Angels" who, due to jobs, other commitments or insufficient time to cook, order a meal to be delivered. It is all prepaid, including the tip, and delivered to the family. If the volunteer lets me know they are doing that, I notify the family that a delivery is coming. Some also volunteer to deliver food for those that have cooked but cannot deliver. Gift cards to restaurants are also welcome, call me if you would like to donate gift cards. These are used when the is no one to cook for the family that evening.

If you are in need of the Meal Angels or you know of someone who could use this assistance, have them contact Meal Angels at If you are interested in being part of this Ministry, contact me at (815) 212-4837.

Thank you!

Terrie Murphy
Meal Angel Coordinator

 

"Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." Hebrews 13:16