MORGANTOWN — Tucked behind a red door on Willey Street, a small but mighty team is serving thousands of meals a month — and this summer they are able to provide local and fresh produce.
The Community Kitchen, a nonprofit that has been feeding Morgantown for 40 years, is making the most of harvest season, incorporating an abundance of fresh, local produce into their daily free lunches. With everything from kale to cucumbers coming through their doors, kitchen manager Alicia Nieman says it’s a bit like competing on a game show — in the best way.
“People call and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got a trash bag full of green beans, can you use them?’ And I always say yes,” Nieman said. “We take whatever’s fresh and figure it out — it’s fun for me. It’s creative. It’s a gift.”
Gifts from First Presbyterian Church’s community garden, WVU’s garden and local backyard growers have helped Nieman serve hearty, restaurant-quality meals to those who need them, with no questions asked.
The Community Kitchen serves lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at 247 Willey St., but the doors open at 9 a.m. for coffee, pastries and conversation. From day laborers to seniors on fixed incomes to students without meal plans, the people who fill the dining hall do not fit the stereotype.
“We serve people who are working, who have housing, who just might be going through a rough patch,” said Cheryl Prichard, president of the board of directors and volunteer. “We don’t ask for ID or proof of income. If you’re hungry, we feed you.”
Food insecurity in the region continues to grow, and the numbers show it. In July, the kitchen served 6,233 meals. From January through July, a total of 38,509. Many of those meals included fresh fruits and vegetables thanks to donations from local gardens, farms and restaurants.
But the work doesn’t stop when the weather changes. In colder months, the kitchen may receive venison from the West Virginia urban deer harvest program – a reminder that seasonal harvesting can provide in more ways than one.
“We’ve had as much as 400 pounds of venison donated, which is incredibly lean, healthy meat,” Prichard said.
In addition to daily hot meals, the kitchen distributes weekend food bags each Friday. These bags are filled with shelf-stable items to get people through when other meal services may be closed. They also send out meals to local shelters and organizations like Rainbow House and WVU’s ACT program, which supports people with mental health challenges.
And all of this is made possible by just a small part-time staff of two and hundreds of dedicated volunteers.
“We had over 9,000 volunteer hours last year,” Prichard said.
Nieman added with a smile, “And that is being modest.”
For Nieman, the work is personal.
“Food is love to me,” she said. “It’s how I show people I care. You feed someone a good meal, you give them a little joy, maybe a little dignity, too.”
As prices rise and services shift out of town, the Community Kitchen remains committed to staying downtown, “right in the heart of Morgantown,” Prichard added.
“Not everyone can hop on a bus to Hazel’s House of Hope,” Prichard said. “Some folks walk here from work. Others just need a safe place to sit for a while.”
Donations, whether fresh produce, shelf-stable food or paper products are always welcome. Volunteers can also get involved by calling or visiting during those hours. More details are available on the organization’s Facebook page, Community Kitchen, Inc.
In the end, it’s not just about food, but a community.
“When someone walks through our doors,” Nieman said, “they’re not just getting a meal. They’re being seen. They’re being cared for. That matters.”
