‘They see the God in us’: After serving a half-million meals, volunteers hang it up
From the back of the kitchen, Pat White, 76, watches her volunteers arrange Salisbury steaks, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots and salad in assembly line fashion onto white Styrofoam plates for hungry women and children at the Salvation Army Center of Hope.
As part of the women’s ministry at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, White has served for years as the group’s volunteer coordinator — corralling fellow church members and friends to give one hour a month to serving meals to the shelter’s residents.
“It may seem like a small thing that we do, but all we ask them is to come with a smile and a heart for God’s people,” White said.
White and her volunteers are an extension of a partnership that’s lasted for decades. For more than 30 years, the church’s women’s ministry has helped fill hundreds of thousands of plates. But at the end of this month, the ladies will serve their last meals.
After the COVID-19 pandemic dwindled their volunteer force and as the ladies have progressed into their senior years, they’ve made the difficult decision to step back. October 28 will be their last day serving meals.
While the Salvation Army is immensely grateful for their help, it’s a huge loss, said Maj. Andrew Wiley, Area Commander for Greater Charlotte. The organization is now looking for new groups of dependable volunteers to take their place.
“It’s going to be a huge gap,” he said. “We will feel this strongly.”
A tremendous help
In their more than 30 years of service, the ladies have served more than 500,000 meals and given more than 22,000 hours of volunteer time, Maj. Wiley said. The presence of volunteers takes immense pressure off the full-time kitchen staff who daily are cooking for upwards of 600 people.
While the Friendship Missionary women serve shelter residents during lunch, Brenda Alexander — the kitchen manager — is able to take a breather and get ahead of grocery orders for the upcoming week.
Without help, Alexander and her small team have to cook and serve for hundreds multiple times a day on their own.
The women’s ministry makes up 80% of their volunteer calendar, Alexander said.
“We have a lot of volunteers that’ll go online and register online, and they won’t even show up,” she said. “Where we can always depend on (them), even if it’s just Miss Pat by herself. Somebody’s going to be here when it’s their time.”
See God in us
Before COVID, the women’s ministry would volunteer serving food for at least 20 days a month. Some of their group passed away, others moved out of town and a few were worried about interacting with too many people at the height of the pandemic.
“That seemed to be kind of a signal to me that things are changing,” Wiley said of COVID’s impacts. “We may not be able to get the kind of volunteer staff that they need.”
To keep pace with the need, Wiley said the Salvation army may need a younger, more energetic group of volunteers.
It’s a bittersweet end, Wiley said, but in some ways feels like a new beginning. Although the ladies won’t be volunteering in the kitchen, their church will still find ways to support the organization whether it’s through resource drives or monetarily.
Through the serving windows in the kitchen, White watches dozens of women and children eating food plated by her fellow volunteers.
“It is satisfying in some way,” she said, reflecting on her time volunteering. “To know that our efforts are not in vain. That they see the God in us. If it’s just a smile, a kind word, you know, a plate of food, I think that’s all we can expect.”
How you can volunteer
Individuals or groups who are interested in volunteering to serve food at the Salvation Army Center of Hope can sign up at https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/greater-charlotte/volunteer/
Volunteers who are interested in serving on a long-term basis will be required to go through a background check.
The organization is looking for volunteers to assist during lunch service.
This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 5:30 AM.