For sixteen years, Madison Avenue Christian Church (MACC) has quietly been providing meals for the homeless and poor through its community ministry programs. That effort has not stopped, despite the mandate for reduced crowd sizes during the COVID-19 crisis, but now the meals are served in a brown bag and distributed in the church parking lot. Allowing for social distancing and safe food handling, volunteers are bagging sandwiches and using gloves when handling the food bags.
“These are challenging times but it doesn’t change the fact that people need help and they are hungry,” said Madison Avenue Christian Church Reverend Simon. “Our volunteers, many of whom have been with us for years, are struggling to purchase the meats and sandwich items needed to fill the bags, they are making several trips to grocery stores to buy enough food. We are doing everything within our power to keep feeding the people who have nowhere else to go for a meal.”
Utilizing the food preparation guidelines set forth by the Northern Kentucky Health Department, the church is serving about 125 meals each Monday and Wednesday evening and the numbers are growing. Like many churches in the region, Madison Avenue Christian Church is streaming live on Facebook their Sunday worship services at 10:45 a.m.
Working with several hundred volunteers each year, the church provides two community meals each week, serving approximately 200 guests at each meal. On the first Saturday of each month, church members collaborate with First Christian Church in Covington to provide evening meals. The quarterly Samaritan Car Care program provides oil changes and minor car repairs for low-income individuals who need help maintaining their automobile. Next door to the church is a transitional residence that is sponsored by the church, providing shelter and services to a family in need.
In addition to serving the community, MACC has put a great deal of effort into beautification of the church grounds, facilities and cherished stained-glass windows, providing beauty and a sense of community for the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods.
A Disciples of Christ affiliated church, Madison Avenue Christian Church has an over 100-year commitment to the citizens of Covington, currently hosting a robust community meal program for those in need and sponsoring a Samaritan Car Care program that assists women with families who are unable to afford the cost of routine maintenance and minor repairs to their cars. The church has provided medical programs in conjunction with NKU nurses and registered individuals for the Affordable Care Act. Dedicated church members and hundreds of community volunteers serve on average, 15-20,000 hot meals a year, and over 275,000 meals have been served since the beginning of the program in 2004.
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