Homemade meatballs were the centerpiece of a lunch for those in need, prepared and served by members of the Michigan Area at St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen on July 31.

About 30 people were served lunch at the soup kitchen, located in southwest Detroit. Many more meals were boxed up and placed in an outdoor refrigerator that is part of the Detroit Community Fridge network.

Volunteers included Mary Hoadley, Member in Formation; Deacon Dom Pastore, KM; Auxiliary Grace Salzeider; Mark Thut, Member in Formation, and his wife Mary Thut.

Organized by Michigan Area Hospitaller Kathleen Mastrangelo, teams of Michigan Area volunteers work at the soup kitchen on the second and fourth Fridays of each month (and on fifth Fridays when they occur). Michigan Area volunteers prepare meals from scratch, working under the direction of chef Dominic French, St. Leo’s kitchen manager.

In addition to food preparation, volunteers chat with guests, clear plates, and clean up afterwards. Over the past 12 months, the Michigan Area has served about 4,000 meals to soup kitchen guests.

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