Our Hunger Outreach Efforts– Would you like to Help?

Jan Peek House is a shelter that provides food and support for a few dozen homeless men and women in Peekskill, NY. It is one of the non-profit programs run by CHHOP (Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill www.chhop.org)). On the fourth Saturday of each month, 3 or more families from our church work together to prepare a dinner for the residents of Jan Peek.

This year, we will have provided nearly 500 dinners. When you prepare dinners for Jan Peek, you are providing more than just physical nourishment – you are providing spiritual nourishment, too. As Director Cynthia Knox says, “When groups come to serve meals, it means more than anything you could give to our clients. Nothing builds self-esteem more than when they finally realize people care. And when we care about them, they learn to care about themselves — that’s the beginning of being healthy.”

If you would like to volunteer to prepare a meal for Jan Peek, you can either sign up by contacting Jeff Kephart
(jeffkephart@gmail.com). We are in need of volunteers for December 27, 2025 and for February 2026 and beyond.

The Noontime Meal program is run by the Salvation Army in Peekskill. Every afternoon of the work week, lunch is provided to about 120 people in Peekskill, most of whom work in the area. Our church sponsors the lunch on the second Wednesday of each month. Through
this program, we will have provided approximately 1400 lunches this year. The process is very simple and takes just one hour. We place an order for rotisserie chickens and other items at ShopRite in Cortlandt, then pick it up and deliver it to the Salvation Army the day before the lunch. The Salvation Army staff prepares the lunch the next day. Lieutenant Jesse Flanders of the Peekskill Salvation Army describes the Noontime Meal as a ray of hope for its clients – a source of stability that helps them mentally and spiritually by reducing worry and stress. Knowing that people care helps them keep going.

If you are interested in helping with Noontime Meal and have an hour to spare on a Tuesday, please contact Jeff Kephart (jeffkephart@gmail.com).

~Sincerely, Jeff Kephart. Co-chair, Mission Commission