a program that was born out of kindness and has been successful for decades

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan – Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church has been serving its neighborhood for decades, and its program continues to grow.

“It’s been going on for over 50 years,” said Demarco Wilkinson, nutrition program director at Eastern Ave Church.

Free Food Saturday was born out of charity when churchgoers began sharing surplus produce from their gardens.

“It has grown so much that I am in contact with many different retailers, farms and people who want to be part of a truly sustainable program,” Wilkinson explained.

It is a service that is repeated every Saturday.

“My passion is giving and I think that is first and foremost my neighborhood,” he added, saying they receive over 8 to 10 tons of food deliveries each week.

“Flour, crackers, onions, snacks, canned goods. And then when it’s Saturday morning, you’ll see, we take everything out of the refrigerators, everything out of the freezers and then we throw everything in.”

There are no requirements to receive a $200 box.

“You don’t have to register for anything. You don’t need an ID. I don’t care about the size of your family or anything like that. If your family needs something or you need something or you just want to lower your grocery bill, just show up.”

Wilkinson added that the food he gives out is the same quality that he has in his own cupboards and that the food he throws away goes into a compost bin.

The doors open at 7am, but some people are already lining up at 4:30am

“Imagine someone gets called, and then they come and grab a basket. Here on the sides, on each side, there’s milk, yogurt, crackers, candy, fruits and vegetables.”

A 50-year-old program that has remained a hidden gem until now. “I pride myself on being the best-kept secret and I want to grow and perfect myself from the inside out. I always felt the program wasn’t ready for something like this, but now it is.”

If you would like to donate, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/EasternAvenueChurchofChrist