MORE THAN A MEAL - MARCH 2025 | |
This winter, the Breakfast Program at St. Andrew’s has been busier than ever, welcoming more guests in need of a warm meal and a kind word. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers and generous donors, we are able to continue to provide nourishing food and a space of comfort and connection. Your continued support—whether through time, donations, or advocacy—helps us make the Breakfast Program truly More Than a Meal. | |
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Dear Friends,
The Breakfast Program at St. Andrew’s has been very busy this winter. We have seen an increase in the number of daily guests over the past couple of months, and our volunteers have been working hard to be sure there is plenty of nutritious hot food for everyone who walks through our doors.
Each year in January, I prepare a Breakfast Program Annual Report to be shared at the St. Andrew’s annual meeting. The report provides an overview of the Breakfast Program over the last year as well as information about our budget and fundraising efforts. Copies of the report were distributed to St. Andrew’s parishioners and made available to breakfast volunteers at the volunteer check-in table. If you haven’t had an opportunity to read it, the link is here.
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Working on the report gives me an opportunity to pause and reflect on the many blessings and moments of grace that we experienced here in the Parish Hall at St. Andrew’s over the past year. And I find myself marveling at the kindness and generosity of our breakfast volunteers and those behind the scenes who provide the financial support we need to keep this program running year after year.
Every week I hear from people who want to volunteer with the Breakfast Program. I am delighted to see so many people from the community coming together to help those among us who are struggling. And there are a variety of ways to help. We are continuing to hold regular cooking and food prep sessions to create delicious new dishes that we can heat and serve in the morning. (Some popular new menu additions include pumpkin cinnamon pancakes, scrambled egg casserole, baked pork tenderloin and homemade turkey soup.) We meet once a month to deep clean our commercial kitchen, and we have increased the number of morning volunteers so that some can spend time in the dining room getting to know our guests. Many of our guests are lonely and feeling invisible, and an empathetic ear can make all the difference.
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Meanwhile, behind the scenes, we have been blessed by the generosity of our many donors. Last year was a very successful fundraising year. In response to our December fundraising letter, we received over $57,000! As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation without an endowment, we need to raise enough money every year to cover all of our annual budgeted expenses. To cover our expenses for 2025, we need to raise $213,000. We are delighted to report that as of February 28, we have raised almost $35,000 towards that goal! We are deeply grateful for our donors; we could not do this important work without your support.
Thank you,
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How Do I Volunteer?
Current Volunteers: You can sign up for all volunteer shifts on SignUpGenius.
New Volunteers: We are always happy to welcome new members to the team! If you have never volunteered at the Breakfast before and would like to get involved, please email our volunteer coordinator at standrewsbreakfast@gmail.com. She will send you some general information and the links to the SignUpGenius pages.
Connect with The Breakfast
If you would like to learn more about the Breakfast Program, please visit breakfastatstandrews.org; email Sue at breakfast@standrewsaa.org; or follow us on Instagram @thebreakfastprogram!
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Mike Kelly
Mike Kelly has been a dedicated Breakfast volunteer for many years. In addition to his work in our kitchen, he serves on the Breakfast's Board of Directors and is also a member of the Board’s fundraising committee. We are delighted to share that Mike was recently selected as a Community Happiness Hero by the Mars Wrigley Foundation. This recognition honors Mars Wrigley employees who demonstrate exceptional commitment and impact through their volunteer service. As part of this recognition, the Breakfast Program received a $10,000 grant from the Mars Wrigley Foundation. Thank you, Mike, for your commitment and service!
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Washtenaw Dairy
Several times a week, we receive a text from Washtenaw Dairy offering free donuts for the Breakfast Program. One of our dedicated volunteers stops by the Dairy on their way to breakfast in the morning to pick up these delicious treats. Our guests are grateful for a sweet treat to compliment their hearty breakfast, and they often take one or 2 to enjoy later in the afternoon. Thank you, Washtenaw Dairy!
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Maureen Voorhees' Knitting Group
This December, Marty Grimes and a group of dedicated knitters stopped by St. Andrew’s with hand knit scarves and hats for our breakfast guests. The tradition of knitting for our breakfast guests was started decades ago by former Breakfast volunteer Maureen Voorhees. Pictured, from left, Barbara Balbach, Marty Grimes, Carolyn Shear, Nancy Stanley, Melanie Hoff, with Breakfast Director Sue Nishi.
Maureen passed away in March 2024, but her mission continues! The Ann Arbor Observer published an article about this amazing group of knitters in their December 2024 issue. Thank you, Knitters!
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Scarves at St. Andrew’s:
A sisterhood knits for breakfast guests.
December 2, 2024
annarborobserver.com
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2024 Annual Report of
The Breakfast at St. Andrew's
January 26, 2025
standrewsaa.org
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A Special Visit!
We had a special visitor at breakfast this winter! Some of you may have enjoyed the Old Crow Medicine Show performance this fall at our Benefit Concert at the Michigan Theater. Ketch Secor, co-founder and current frontman of the band, was in town last month for the Ann Arbor Folk Festival, and he stopped by to visit the Breakfast Program. Ketch enjoyed our homemade grits, visited with guests and then helped us clean up after breakfast. Next time he is in town, he would like to bring his guitar and play some music for our guests!
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