Five Loaves Two Fish Kitchen Ministry distributing over 100 meals a week in light of pandemic

WASILLA — The Five Loaves Two Fish Kitchen Ministry is currently preparing over 100 meals a week that’s distributed to individuals and families in need across the Valley, working to accommodate the rise in demand stemming from the pandemic.

“We’ve managed to keep going throughout the pandemic,” Five Loaves Two Fish kitchen committee member Andra Nations said. “Our whole mission has been to partner with community agencies and provide meals for theitr clients… So, when different agencies have let us know of their increased needs, we’ve been able to meet those.”

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church members formed a committee to establish the kitchen program in 2012 to meet the rising need for wholesome food, and provide food preparation training to locals seeking opportunities.

Nations was on the organizing committee and worked on the original grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation that got the project off the ground, and allowed them to replace their original kitchen with an industrial, DEC approved kitchen suited for large meal preparation work.

“We want to very much express our gratitude to the Mat-Su Health Foundation... We couldn’t have done anything that we’ve done without the support we’ve gotten through grants from them,” Nations said. “It was an army of volunteers that came in and helped construct that kitchen… The grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation made it possible, but so did the volunteer work and donations from within our congregation and community.”

Each week, kitchen crews prepare meals for partnering agencies such as MyHouse, Family Promise Mat-Su, Alaska Family Services, and the Knik Tribal Council to comfort people during their times of need.

“For somebody that’s out of work and struggling to feed their families, and feeling isolated during a time when we’re all having to stay home and be around other people, nothing means more to you than a hot meal… that you know somebody made with love,” Nations said.

According to Nations, their efforts have doubled to help their partner agencies accommodate the surge of people negatively affected by COVID-19, ranging from job loss to displacement due to quarantine. She said the Kitchen Ministry provided weekly, individually packaged meals to Alaska Family Services clients housed at local hotels during the initial statewide quarantine.

“When the pandemic started, it didn’t stop; and our volunteers didn’t stop either,” Nations said.

The Kitchen Ministry has been preparing casseroles for the Wasilla Middle School Food Service Program since the Fall of 2020, benefiting families in need. These casseroles are also picked up weekly by the Knik Tribe, who offer family meals for children in Office of Children’s Services’ custody and their biological parents during family contact sessions.

According to Nations, the Kitchen Ministry normally holds a number of fundraisers throughout the year, but they’ve been unable to hold any in light of the pandemic. She said this hasn’t stopped the flow of donations from the community, and the continued generosity of their partners. She said the Mat-Su Food Bank recently donated a large amount of frozen food, and they were able to add two new freezers thanks to a COVID response grant from MSHSF.

“Nothing has stopped us… It had just reminded us what community means and that’s what our church is all about,” Nations said. “It makes a huge difference… We just couldn’t do this without all of us working together.”

Those interested in making a financial contribution to the Five Loaves Two Fish Kitchen Ministry can find out more by calling 907-376-3522 or visiting goodshepluth.org.