Meal Train® Ministry
One of the easiest and most helpful ways we can serve people in our parish is by dropping off meals during hard or challenging periods in their lives. Many of us here at St. Jude have been doing this for years, but now there is a great online website to make it easier to have a larger scale, organized effort to provide families meals. The website MealTrain.com is the online platform we use to connect our families who would like a meal to the parishioners who would be more than happy to make a meal for them.
What type of occasions would qualify for a Meal Train®?
There are many different reasons why an individual or family could really use a Meal Train®. Here are just a few examples:
- Bringing home a new baby
- Having a family member in the hospital
- Having a family member recovering at home
- The death of a loved one
- Military deployment/extended leave of a spouse
- Divorce
- Unemployment
- Family move
You can always keep the reason for your Meal Train® request confidential.
Who is eligible to receive meals?
Any member of our St. Jude of the Lake Catholic Church and School community.
How does a Meal Train® Function?
First, we have created a team of people who would be happy to provide meals for families who could use it. They might be good cooks, or like to cook, or good at arranging store or restaurant meal deliveries. The joy or skill of cooking doesn’t matter.
Second, when someone requests a Meal Train®, our Meal Train Coordinators will connect with the families and find out all the pertinent information. They will then set up a Meal Train®, and send the Meal Train® link out to our group of volunteers. Our volunteers will then sign up to provide a meal whenever it works best for them.
Our volunteers will coordinate the delivery of the meal with the family who is receiving a meal, all via the Meal Train® website. The family will also be able to see the Meal Train® and all the details.
How can you bless our families with meals?
We have a group of Meal Train Coordinators, but this ministry would never work without our Meal Train Volunteers. If you feel like God is calling you to serve in this way, please click on the button below to volunteer. Include your name, email, and phone number. A coordinator will send the Meal Train Volunteers a group email with the individual family’s Meal Train® link every time a new Meal Train® is set up. When you see a date that works into your schedule, click on it and type in your name. You can also add what meal you are making so other volunteers won’t make the same thing around your day. On your day, prepare or pick-up your meal, get in touch with your family and deliver the meal at the arranged time and place. Please know there is NO obligation to sign up for any or every meal train you get emailed about. Only sign up when you are able to help out.
I would love to help, but I don’t have time to cook.
No problem! We ask all of our families to tell us their favorite restaurants so if you want to give a gift card, or order them something from those spots you can. Also, things like premade meals from grocery stores are always welcome. You don’t have to spend all day in the kitchen to help serve our community.
I don’t want to provide food, but still would like to volunteer.
That’s totally fine! If you would like to deliver a meal from our cooking volunteers to our families in need, we could use you.
Please email Katie Hunt at katierosehunt@gmail.com is this is something you are interested in.
How to receive meals from the St. Jude Meal Train®
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you think meals would be even slightly helpful in your life. The community here at St. Jude of the Lake is happy to help provide meals for you and your family during this time.
Click on the button that says “Request a Meal Train®” at the bottom of the page. Please take a moment to fill out these questions on the form to help us create a meal train that is tailored to your specific needs. One of our Meal Train Coordinators will reach out to you shortly after you fill out the form to get your Meal Train® started.
When we create a Meal Train® for you, the website mealtrain.com will send you an email. You will be able to customize or change any information we discussed at any time on your Meal Train®. It will also notify you when people sign up to bring a meal.
If you know of a family that could use a Meal Train®, please send Katie Hunt an email: katierosehunt@gmail.com