Morro Bay meal program nourishes those in need

Greg Miller is one of dozens of people who help make ends meet by regularly taking advantage of the free nutritious dinners served up each Monday at the Veterans Memorial Building in Morro Bay.

Miller, who lives in a motor home in a trailer park in town, has been managing on a monthly disability check after tearing his arm ligaments while working in masonry. On a recent Monday, Miller, 58, enjoyed a dinner of split pea soup, salad, bread, quiche, cookies and coffee at the veterans hall.

“I get food here that I couldn’t get otherwise,” he said. “If I were to spend the money to buy the kind of meal we get here, I’d be using up all of my money for trailer park rent.”

The dinners are provided by the volunteer Morro Bay Food Group, a sub-committee of the Estero Bay Alliance for Care, a network of local churches and community groups.

The group moved its weekly meal service indoors to the Veterans Memorial Building in January. It had operated out of Lila Keiser Park in Morro Bay before receiving a fee waiver from the Morro Bay City Council to serve meals on Mondays from 5 to 6 p.m. in the city-operated veterans hall on Surf Street.

“We needed an alternative to the park and this building has worked out very well for us,” said Nancy Castle, a network volunteer. “The neighbors have been so supportive and they’ve even come by to help and donate. We haven’t had any complaints or problems.”

Morro Bay’s population of about 10,400 residents includes nearly 1,500 who live below the poverty level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The meals are primarily aimed at helping those adults and children.

About 51 percent of students at Morro Bay’s Del Mar Elementary School and 41 percent at Morro Bay High School are deemed socioeconomically disadvantaged, which generally means their family income makes them eligible for free or reduced price lunches.

Each week a different church or community group hosts a meal at the veterans hall. The dinners include a variety of tasty dishes from Italian and Mexican cuisine to the recent, rainy day spread of split pea soup and fixings.

During the holidays, the food group will host two special meals with extended hours. On Monday, a performance by the Estero Bay United Methodist Church choir, as well as gift offerings, will add holiday cheer to the dinner. A special New Year’s Eve dinner and festivities is also planned.

“It has been one of the most exciting things I’ve been a part of as a councilman,” said Noah Smukler, a Morro Bay city councilman and an EBAC co-chair. “And EBAC has intensified its goals and looked at ways to grow even more.”

St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, Rock Harbor Christian Fellowship, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the non-religious Circle of Friends, Morro Bay Lion’s Club and Estero Bay United Methodist Church all participate in the food group program.

St. Timothy’s also offers free meals from 5 to 6 p.m. the last Wednesday of each month, averaging more than 80 attendees per event.

Starting next year, the food group also will begin hosting meals at various locations every Wednesday night. The schedule still is being formulated.

In addition to the meals, the group distributes donated clothing to help warm homeless and low income residents on drippy, chilly winter days in particular.

“They feed us good,” said Jennifer Weirick as she ate the split pea soup and salad. “They put out clothing for people. They have Baby Wipes. This is only my second time coming, but it helps.”

EBAC also operates a resource referral center weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. out of a wing of the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce building. Volunteers check messages and calls after hours. The center, which has six volunteers, connects people with services such as housing, food stamps, child care, employment, and transportation.

“We help about two to three households per day to address some very serious problems,” said Sharon O’Leary, the program’s volunteer coordinator. “We’ve worked really hard and we’ve been able to resolve most of these problems. But there are still people out there who may be reluctant to seek help, and we want to reach those people as well.”

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SPECIAL HOLIDAY MEALS

Hosted by the Estero Bay Alliance for Care

Monday. Starting at 5 p.m. a special roast pork dinner will be served with a choir performance from the Estero Bay United Methodist Church; gifts. Veterans Memorial Building at 209 Surf St.

New Year’s Eve. Starting at 5 p.m. a special dinner will be served at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way.

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Referral service: The Estero Bay Alliance for Care also offers a referral service to connect people in need with various social services. For information, call 225-1991 or email mbcrc225@gmail.com.

This story was originally published December 20, 2014 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Morro Bay meal program nourishes those in need."