Feeding & housing ministries
St. Alban’s has a long tradition of feeding people who are hungry and helping those who are transitioning out of homelessness.
Grate Patrol
In cooperation with the Salvation Army’s 100-year-old ministry, volunteers from St. Alban’s prepare and serve a nutritious evening meal to persons living on the streets of Washington, DC. Parishioners may get involved as often as they like.
Sandwich Making: The second week of each month, parishioners prepare sandwiches and assemble a “bagged” meal with fruit, granola bars and cookies. At this time, sandwich making occurs in parishioner’s homes.
Delivery and Distribution: Every 2nd Friday at 6:00 p.m., the Salvation Army van arrives at St. Alban’s. Volunteers load the van with food prepared during the week, travel downtown and serve dinner to people living on the streets. Volunteers return to St Alban's by 8:00 pm.
Contact Susan Morris
Our youth groups participate on the 4th Friday of each month preparing food and delivery meals downtown.
So Others Might Eat (SOME)
St. Alban’s parish and SOME have a relationship that spans over 20 years. SOME serves more than 315,000 meals annually—over 800 meals each day. In addition, SOME provides the following services to the city’s homeless population: medical and dental assistance, individual and group counseling, case management and aftercare, free clothing, hot showers, laundry service, job preparedness training, job counseling and training, permanent and transitional housing and temporary shelter, and programs for people with addictions.
St. Alban’s parishioners prepare SOME Casseroles each month. On the 2nd Sunday of the month, parishioners pick up casserole tins and recipes as they leave worship and return the prepared casseroles to Trenbath Hall the following Sunday by 11:45. Donations of fresh or canned fruits and juices, vegetables, coffee, and peanut butter or powdered milk are also welcome. Donations are then transported to SOME during the 11:15 service. For more information, or to volunteer to assist with delivery, contact Marty Kerns.
Christ House
The mission of Christ House is to provide comprehensive and compassionate health care to sick, homeless men and women in the District of Columbia. Located in Adams Morgan, Christ House is a 34-bed medical facility. St. Alban's volunteers prepare and serve dinner to residents and staff twice a month, on the 1st and 3rd Fridays. That adds up to more than 1,100 meals per year.
The cooking team, led by Robyn Gatens meets in the St. Alban's kitchen from 2:30-5 p.m. and prepares the meal. The serving team, led by Rob Huddleston, picks up the food from St. Alban's, delivers it to Christ House and helps serve the meal to the residents. Contact Michael Nix if you are interested in joining this ministry!
Samaritan Ministry
St. Alban's was one of a dozen Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Washington that founded Samaritan Ministry in 1986. Our congregation contributes non-perishable food to Samaritan's pantry every week, to be distributed to participants in the Next Step program, which offers them resources and assistance as they find housing and employment. Contact: Bob Witten
Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners
St. Alban's provides a delicious dinner at noon on Christmas Day for our neighbors and friends. Volunteers decorate the hall, carve turkeys, cook vegetables, cut pies and serve our guests. Many of us enjoy the meal, too! Contact the church office to learn more.
St. Alban's partners with Annunciation Catholic Church and Washington Hebrew Congregation on an annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, which we host every third year. Contact the church office to learn more.