Hear how this ministry was birthed, how it operates, and how it changes lives.
Breakfast is at the Vineyard
For people without the means to provide food for themselves, there is usually a meal within reasonable reach. Lunch is available daily at Elgin Wayside Center and, with seven local churches hosting dinner, the Elgin Soup Kettle program ensures an evening meal.
Breakfast is at the Vineyard. A hot meal is served in the colder months, and in the summer we distribute sandwiches, fruits and treats. We do this every morning, Monday through Saturday, in partnership with other local churches and businesses. Exceptions are major holidays, when a community-wide effort may be made to put out a special holiday feast.
Over the past 15 to 20 years, this ministry has served something in the neighborhood of 200,000 individual meals! Besides satisfying physical hunger, our leaders interact regularly with the breakfast crowd at a personal level and are always looking for ways to satisfy spiritual cravings, too.
Breakfast is at the Vineyard. A hot meal is served in the colder months, and in the summer we distribute sandwiches, fruits and treats. We do this every morning, Monday through Saturday, in partnership with other local churches and businesses. Exceptions are major holidays, when a community-wide effort may be made to put out a special holiday feast.
Over the past 15 to 20 years, this ministry has served something in the neighborhood of 200,000 individual meals! Besides satisfying physical hunger, our leaders interact regularly with the breakfast crowd at a personal level and are always looking for ways to satisfy spiritual cravings, too.
Interested in helping?
Contact us to find out how your family, small group or church can be involved in bringing breakfast to the homeless. You can choose to provide for everyone (full breakfast, 50-60 meals) or for half the group (25-30 meals), partnering with someone else.
Tips on bringing breakfast
Meals should be delivered between 6:30 and 6:45 am and be ready to serve at 7 am. If you're bringing a hot meal, please deliver it already cooked or baked; we can keep it warm in our ovens if needed. Currently, we serve about 50-60 meals a day.
Menu ideas
Here are some ideas for favorite hot meal items: Potato casserole, quiche, scrambled or boiled eggs, biscuits and gravy, meats (sausage patties, links, bacon, ham, chicken), pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, cereal, grits, Danish or muffins, breads, yogurt cups, cereal bars, cookies, bananas, oranges, fruit cups and bottled water. If you have other ideas, be creative! In summer months, we pause the hot meal plan and ask for two sandwiches per person; these can be packaged with fruits and other treats to make a bagged breakfast-to-go.
Don't worry about bringing coffee, peanut butter, jelly, sugar, butter, salt and pepper, napkins, cups, bowls, plates, silverware and serving utensils—we always have these items on hand. Our guests appreciate orange juice and milk, too, and gallon containers are helpful.
Don't worry about bringing coffee, peanut butter, jelly, sugar, butter, salt and pepper, napkins, cups, bowls, plates, silverware and serving utensils—we always have these items on hand. Our guests appreciate orange juice and milk, too, and gallon containers are helpful.
Other donations
Some people like to serve the breakfast community by donating other items. These can be dropped off Monday-Saturday, 7 to 8 am, or during Street Reach, when it meets. Please use the Division Street door to the right of the courtyard and bring donations downstairs. Thank you!