GREENFIELD — Holy Trinity Church has reported a sharp increase in patrons at its weekly community meals.
Parishioner Kathy Melnik, who helps run the community meals ministry, said volunteers quickly went from serving 50 to 70 people each Thursday to 125 to 160. Food is generally served from 5 to 6 p.m., though volunteers will open the doors early if people are waiting.
“I just have to make sure everything is stocked. I mean, we always have a backup plan,” she said in the basement kitchen at 135 Main St.
Fellow organizer Kerry Semaski said demand shot up in May.
“I just think times are tough for everyone in general,” Semaski said, mentioning that the Franklin County Community Meals Program temporarily paused operation of its meal sites in Greenfield and Northfield. “Even tonight, there’s been a lot of new faces.”
Over the past five weeks, the Second Congregational Church took over handling the meals that the program would ordinarily offer on Wednesdays, and The Salvation Army has offered meals on Tuesdays. On Wednesday, June 17, the Franklin County Community Meals Program resumed its operations at the Second Congregational Church, located at 16 Court Square in Greenfield, but the meal site at the Trinitarian Congregational Church at 147 Main St. in Northfield remains closed for the time being.
The food varies each week. On June 18, the menu consisted of fruit, grilled cheese sandwiches and volunteer Robin Whitney’s homemade chicken noodle soup. Melnik said the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization that sponsors one weekly meal per month typically prepares American chop suey.
The Rev. John Williams checks in on some little ones at Holy Trinity Church in Greenfield on Thursday evening. Credit: PAUL FRANZ / Staff Photo 
Kerry Semaski, center, serves dessert to Cody and Shane at the community meal at Holy Trinity Church in Greenfield on Thursday evening. Credit: PAUL FRANZ / Staff Photo 
Maria Burge of Greenfield distributes food at Holy Trinity Church in Greenfield on Thursday evening. Credit: PAUL FRANZ / Staff Photo
Greenfield resident Kimberly Adams attends the meal every Thursday with her husband and five children. She said she looks forward to it.
“We enjoy it. We don’t have to cook, because we’ve got a big family, as you can tell,” gesturing to her full table in the Father James W. Casey Hall. “So it’s nice and convenient to be able to have the meals. Especially, we love Kerry.”
Greenfield resident Bill Bohonowicz has been visiting the weekly meals since learning about the program months ago. On June 18, he spent time sitting at a table, talking with the Rev. John Williams, a fellow U.S. Corps veteran.
“I appreciate everybody here. They’re working hard,” he said as he was leaving with some food. “You’ve got to thank people. I mean, really, they give of themselves, you know? And the church is giving of itself.”
Williams, who was ordained and assigned to Blessed Trinity Parish a year ago, said the program’s success would not be possible without a team of reliable volunteers.
“We believe that when we serve the poor and the hungry, we serve Jesus Christ. And it’s one of the most basic duties of being a Christian, but also one of the greatest privileges,” he said, sporting one of the parish’s green aprons. “So we’re always happy to serve whoever comes. We give them as much as they need. Sometimes they come to eat here, dine with us, or they take it home, and often for others.”
Williams said many people have expressed immense gratitude for the meals, with some stopping him on the street or leaving voicemails.
“One gentleman said he was having a really bad day because his father had recently passed [away],” he recalled. “He heard about the community meal and he came here and we cheered him up and sent him on his way with a … dinner.”
Williams also recounted what he considers to be the most memorable story of the past year. He explained that one day last year, volunteers noticed a man they had never seen before standing off in a corner in the hall. It turned out he lives in the Albany region and was at the community meal looking for his son, who was living in this area and going through a difficult time. The man showed organizers a photo of his son, and they took the man’s contact information.
Eventually, volunteers formed a relationship with the son and emailed the father to say they expected his son to attend the church’s Thanksgiving meal.
“It was a really proud moment,” Williams said. “The mother and the father came to this hall right here and they were able to talk their son into coming home with them. And he went home and started getting the help he needed.
“And it was just a really great example of how we develop relationships with our patrons here, and how they trust us and are able to develop those relationships with the greater community,” he added.
Anyone who is looking for more information about the meals program, or interested in volunteering, should call 413-773-3311 or email office@blessedtrinitygreenfield.org.
