BY SAM VISE
FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — The clatter of pots, the murmur of conversation and the comforting scent of a homecooked meal fill the air at Christian Care Ministries’ Community Kitchen each Thursday morning. Here, amidst the bustling activity, a dedicated team of volunteers work tirelessly to provide a vital service to the Lee County area.
Located at 1000 Samford Court in Opelika, Christian Care Ministries (CCM) was formed out of a women’s Bible study group from Trinity Methodist Church. According to its website, the CCM mission is to “present Christ to a needy world by providing a ministry of compassion and service to persons in the Lee County community.”
The ministry is staffed by volunteers and consists of a Community Kitchen, food pantry and clothes closet. It used to include a dining room, but it has been closed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We pray for people,” said John Johnson, a volunteer. “We listen to their needs, just listen a lot […] for a lot of them, this may be the only hot meal they get this week.”
Johnson had lived in the Opelika area for a few years and was looking for an opportunity to volunteer somewhere. He found CCM, and those who were overseeing the Community Kitchen were ready to hand it over, so he took over managing it along with Paul Ferrell.
“This is my heart, this is it,” Johnson said. “This is where I want to be.”
Ferrell explained that most of the food is cooked and prepared on Tuesdays, and then it is heated up, put in a to-go box and served on Thursdays between 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. They serve approximately 500 meals each Thursday.
Most meals are served at the door of the kitchen, but some are delivered throughout nearby neighborhoods.
In addition to serving hot meals each Thursday, on the third Tuesday of each month, volunteers work to make boxes to be distributed throughout the Samford Homes area. They deliver, on average, 313 boxes a month.
Meals are prepared from food donated by the local community, the East Alabama Food Bank and local grocery stores. To donate to CCM, drop by the ministry or send donations to P.O. Box 862, Opelika, AL 36803. To learn more about donating, contact Ferrell at paulsferrell@gmail.com.
“It’s been great, you know, we don’t have a lot of money in the bank or anything like that,” Ferrell said. “We just sort of live paycheck to paycheck, but God always provides. We haven’t run out of food in years.”
This past Thursday, Ofelia Jones, customer service manager at the Winn-Dixie in Opelika, brought a large donation to the Community Kitchen and volunteered to help prepare meals.
Jones explained Winn-Dixie partners with a nonprofit each month to help raise donations for those in need.
“I come on my days off now, I love it,” she said.
CCM is always looking for more volunteers. Volunteers can simply show up to the kitchen on Tuesdays or Thursdays, typically around 8:30 to 9 a.m. One could also volunteer in the clothing closet.
The clothing closet is located right next to the Community Kitchen and holds clothing donations for community members in need.
Besides providing meals and clothing, CCM also provides comfort to those who need it.
“We have a prayer box that if anybody has a prayer request, they can write their name and what they’re praying for, and if they want me to pray right now for them I will,” said Cindy Brassell, a volunteer. “Then I got these little crafts to give them and books to hand out and just, you know, just here for anybody that needs prayer.”
Brassell has been volunteering at CCM for 13 years. She said she hopes to not only provide food for the community, but be a light for those going through a dark time.
“I really enjoy [volunteering here],” Brassell said. “The people are awesome — just wonderful — and everybody just has a good time when they’re doing their volunteer work. [My mission is] to be able to help people and to serve them and provide food, and also for them to come to know Jesus, that’s the main impact I want for this community.”
To learn more about volunteering, email Brassell at cbrassell5@gmail.com.
The Community Kitchen stands as a reminder of compassionate service in Opelika. For over two decades, the dedication of volunteers like Johnson, Ferrell and Brassell has ensured that hundreds of individuals and families receive not just food and clothing, but also dignity, prayer and a sense of community.
Despite growing needs and rising costs, CCM continues its mission, sustained by faith and the generosity of local partners like Winn-Dixie and countless individual donors. To continue this essential work, the ministry relies on the ongoing support of its neighbors.
Whether through a monetary donation or by showing up to volunteer on a Tuesday or Thursday morning, the impact of every contribution helps ensure that no one in the Lee County area has to face hunger or hardship alone.
