Volunteers serve charity meals for Christmas across Mid-Missouri

Thursday, volunteers across Mid-Missouri gave their time to help others in need. Several places hosted Christmas charity dinners in Columbia, Jefferson City and Fayette.

This year, the Salvation Army Harbor House in Columbia extended its Christmas dinner for the public from one hour to three hours.

The organizer of a Christmas charity dinner at First Christian Church in Fayette said the community really stepped up to help those in need.

“We probably delivered 20 meals, and then we had probably another 15 that went out, that came in and picked it up,” the dinner’s organizer Sonja Allen-King said. “And then we probably had 20 or so that came in and ate.”

Allen-King has been putting on a free community Christmas dinner in Fayette for 10 years.

It started in 2005 when a friend gave her the idea, she said. At the time, Fayette did not have a community Christmas dinner. That first year, it was put on by Allen-King’s employees at her old restaurant job and her neighbors, but has grown over the years.

“Initially it was just me in the restaurant, and then a few people would come and give donations,” Allen-King said. “Well now it has grown into many people giving me donations in order to provide for the community.”

Last year, the community dinner moved from Allen-King’s restaurant to First Christian Church. This year, about 15 volunteers showed up to feed about 55 people at the meal that ran for two hours.

Allen-King said they give the left-overs to the city’s 911 dispatchers who have to work on the holiday.

Then in Columbia, the Salvation Army Harbor House homeless shelter served a free meal to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It said about 80 people showed up for the meal.

Chris Owens said he decided to volunteer at the Harbor House Thursday because he wanted to use his talent to help others.

“I have time off, and put my skills to use,” Owens said. “I’m a culinary student, and where else to go than a kitchen to work during Christmas?”

An official with the Salvation Army said this time of year is especially hard for the homeless because of the cold weather.

The Salvation Army Center of Hope homeless shelter in Jefferson City had a free Christmas dinner for the public Thursday as well. It said they served about 60 people and had help from more than 20 volunteers.

The St. Francis House homeless shelter in Columbia also put on a charity dinner. It said it expected to serve about 50 people.