Jubilee Café at Community United Church of Christ in Champaign, IL, has been serving a free weekly meal since October 2017. Since we began, the number of people we serve has increased each month. As of November 2020, we were serving an average of 68 guests per week. We serve local community members, University of Illinois students, and individuals without a permanent address. Since March 16, 2020, Jubilee Café has been serving hot, homecooked To-Go meals. The number of people coming to pick up meals has remained relatively the same as our numbers prior to COVID-19. We are working hard to serve our guests during this difficult time. With our monetary donations, we are able to continue serving the numbers of people we served prior to COVID-19. From September 1 - November 30, 2020, Jubilee Cafe served 619 meals to university students, community members, and neighbors without permanent addresses. In addition to the hot, house-made meal, we distribute pantry items. These items included canned protein sources, pasta, protein and granola bars, soup, snacks, hygiene kits, menstruation supplies, and cold weather items such as hats, gloves, and socks. In my presentation I will discuss the impetus for starting a weekly free meal and the challenges of continue to address food insecurity during a pandemic.
