May 2008
Community Paper
copyright ©2008 by Community Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Christian Service Center Program To Celebrate 3,000,000th Free Meal!
 Executive Director Robert Stuart presents a commemorative plate to Dr. Tom Pinner, Interim Pastor of College Park Baptist Church |
The Christian Service Center for Central Florida celebrates the serving of their 3,000,000th Noontime Meal through their Daily Bread Program. Here, Executive Director Robert Stuart presents a commemorative plate to Dr. Tom Pinner, Interim Pastor of College Park Baptist Church. Daily Bread, started in 1975 in Downtown Orlando, serves a hot,nourishing meal to anyone in need, at no charge, regardless of race, color, or creed. College Park Baptist Church has supported the Center with volunteers, canned food, donated clothing, and financial support ever since its' founding in 1971. On May 2, 2008, the Christian Service Center's Daily Bread program will celebrate the serving of its three millionth free meal! The Daily Bread program serves free noontime meals from soup kitchens and dining facilities in downtown Orlando and Ocoee. |
"I am thrilled that we have reached this milestone," said Christian Service Center Executive Director Robert F. Stuart. "What started as an outreach of a handful of downtown churches has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of people in need here in Central Florida," Stuart continued.
The program started in the kitchen of St. James Cathedral in 1975, when the church started a noon feeding program during the Easter season. As the Easter season ended, the church was feeding more than 125 persons per day, and Father David Page realized that some more permanent solution was needed to address community hunger. He contacted the Christian Service Center, which St. James had helped found in 1971. Out of that need, Daily Bread was born on July 1, 1971. Meals were served at a facility at 61 W. Jefferson Street. Champ Williams, founder of Skyline Restaurants agreed to provide the food, a service he provided for more than 1,000,000 meals.
In 1981, Daily Bread was relocated to Parramore Ave., and in 1987, to its current location on the Christian Service Center campus at 808 W. Central Blvd. The two-millionth meal was served in April 1999, and the three-millionth meal will be celebrated on May 2nd at the Christian Service Center's annual Street Celebration, an outdoor cookout and party for the Daily Bread clients.
The Street Celebration will be held on May 2nd at the Christian Service Center's campus at 808 W. Central Blvd. Serving will start at 11:00 a.m. and go until about 1:30 p.m. The Street Celebration is a cookout for CSC's clients, along with entertainment, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, free health screenings, and more.
"It is amazing to me that we have never missed a meal because of lack of food," said Stuart. "Whenever we have been in need of food, God has provided through thousands of supporters and volunteers, and through business and local foundations. Without that support, the Daily Bread program could not have succeeded," Stuart noted.
In 1991, the Christian Service Center opened a West Orange Daily Bread kitchen in Ocoee, an operation that continues today. In 2003, local Kissimmee churches took over the Daily Bread operation that had operated in that City since 1988.
Last year, our soup kitchens in Orlando and Ocoee teamed to serve almost 125,000 free meals.
While we celebrate the serving of the three millionth meal, the daily focus remains helping those who are hungry in our community, one meal at a time.
"Unfortunately, there are still people who are hungry and in need in our community," Stuart pointed out. "This program not only gives our clients a meal, but reminds them that someone cares."
The Christian Service Center has three locations. The main office is at 808 W. Central Blvd. The Winter Park office is at St. John Lutheran Church, 1600 S. Orlando Ave., and in Ocoee at 700 Franklin Street. Those in need of food, rent/mortgage/utility assistance, and clothing can go to the office nearest their home.
