Feeding Our Neighbours
On the first Sunday of every month, volunteers from MA Center Chicago prepare and deliver a wholesome vegetarian meal for around 200 guests at a homeless shelter in nearby Aurora, Illinois. Volunteers cook in the MA Center Chicago kitchen, then transport the food to the shelter and serve it on-site — helping ensure that those experiencing homelessness receive nourishing meals prepared with care.
"Engaging in hands-on service, such as chopping vegetables and assisting in the kitchen, gave me time to reflect on the significance of providing for those in need." — Anand Kane, volunteer
The Elgin Soup Kitchen
Since May 2024, Mother's Kitchen at MA Center Chicago has also partnered with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church to serve a community soup kitchen in Elgin, Illinois. What began as a meal for about 50 people each month grew quickly — demand roughly doubled after two devastating fires struck a homeless encampment along the Fox River in December 2024. On the first Thursday of each month, volunteers prepare food from 9:00 a.m. to noon and deliver it to the soup kitchen.
Mother's Kitchen was founded by the MA Centers as a way for volunteers to serve the hungry in their own communities; today more than 40 chapters serve across North America. To help cook or serve, contact Meetali at Deshpande.meetali@gmail.com.
