GREENFIELD — The Building Bridges Veterans Initiative’s director received a $3,000 check from the Greenfield Elks Lodge 1296 on Thursday afternoon to fund meal preparation for former service members.

Building Bridges, created by the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, provides spaces for veterans to gather for free lunches at local veterans clubs and lodges.

This week, Elks Lodge Past Exalted Ruler Chet Saharceski presented the check to the Rev. Christopher Carlisle of Building Bridges, who said the meals — once held weekly at the Elks Lodge at 3 Church St. for eight years — will now be biweekly due to increased costs. In Greenfield, the Building Bridges lunches are Thursdays at noon.

Carlisle mentioned the initiative has served about 104,000 meals since its inception throughout the Building Bridges network, which consists of 15 meal sites in four New England states. This includes 22,000 in Greenfield.

“This site was the one that really got the momentum going,” Carlisle said. “So it’s far and away the most prolific of the sites.”

Elks Lodge member Gary Gadreault was the grant writer for the $3,000 that came from the Elks’ national headquarters in Chicago.

Saharceski said only 14 people showed up to the first meal eight years ago but that number rose to about 120, until the pandemic. Robert Mott, past district director and past exalted ruler with the Greenfield Elks Lodge, said the initiative now serves 50 to 60 veterans at each meal.

“I think it’s important to just mention that veterans are a real pillar of the Elks’ mission itself,” Saharceski said.

For more information about Building Bridges, visit buildingbridgesveterans.org.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.