Bread and Roses more than just a free meal

By Teresa Stowell of the Daily Times staff
Friday, January 5, 2007 1:17 PM CST

Eighteen different organizations take turns throughout the year volunteering at Bread and Roses. Volunteer Carol Schuett, of Zion Lutheran Church in Ashippun, is pictured dishing out potatoes during Thursday night’s meal. (Teresa Stowell/Daily Times)

Area residents waited patiently Thursday night with the flavorful turkey aroma in the air as volunteers prepared the full course dinner by Bread and Roses which has been serving a free meal once a week for almost 20 years.

“People who need help, stop at churches,” Jean Kwapil, of Watertown, said. “That's why the program was first developed and that's why it's still going strong today.”

The Rev. Fred Himmerich of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Watertown first developed Bread and Roses in 1986. His goal was to help people in the community by giving them a good meal and a place for networking. That goal remains today almost 20 years later.

“We have people of all ages come to the meal, everyone from small babies to senior citizens. Adults come and get talking with others and learn about where to find low-income housing or job opportunities,” Kwapil said. “For many senior citizens who come this is their family. Everyone really watches out for each other and just enjoy a good meal and socializing.”

Himmerich called the program Bread and Roses with “bread” representing the giving of food and “roses” representing a nice dinner. Himmerich kept the program going with different churches and city groups volunteering time making and serving the meals until his retirement in 1996. No one at St. Paul's wanted to take over the project and it wasn't until January of 1999 when Kwapil and Judy Hoffestter, members of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, decided it was time to get the program running again. Since then the program has been operating out of Immanuel Lutheran Church every Thursday with food served from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

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“We didn't change the name because we wanted the program to have the same goals as it did before,” Kwapil said. “Both Judy and I have a background in food service so we're used to planning large meals.”

A full course dinner is served at Bread and Roses with meals including turkey, lasagna, spaghetti, pork and many others. Thursday night Kwapil prepared 12 turkeys for about 100 to 130 people who also were served potatoes, stuffing, salad, and cranberries while visiting with new and old friends. When the meal was first held at Immanuel in 1999 a total of 29 area residents attended.

While Immanuel Lutheran Church houses the program, over 18 area churches and city groups come to the church to volunteer at Bread and Roses on a regular basis. Groups are put on a schedule and are rotated throughout the year. About eight to 10 volunteers are needed in a night to serve dinner and help clean up. Kwapil and Hoffestter plan the meal and the volunteer group of the evening brings milk, dessert, bread and a salad.

Groups that volunteer regularly include St. Bernard's Catholic Church, St. Henry Catholic Church, Christ United Methodist Church, Watertown Moravian Church, First Congregational Church, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Hustisford, Zion Lutheran Church in Ashippun, Cross Lutheran Church in Ixonia, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lebanon, Riverside Middle School food service staff, Watertown School District music teachers, Kiwanis Noon Club, Eaton Corporation, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, and Assembly of God Church. Various girl and boy scout troops and 4-H clubs also fill in once in awhile.

“It's great to see how much fun the volunteers and those attending the meal have,” Kwapil said. “Every week someone new comes and no one ever goes hungry.”

Donations from area churches, city service clubs and individual citizens help to keep the program going and pay for the food to be purchased. Bread and Roses uses Immanuel Lutheran Church's kitchen and equipment free of charge, and has been for the past eight years. When the program was first held at Immanuel Lutheran Church Kwapil said Bread and Roses purchased a used refrigerator. Since that time the program has grown and the equipment is in need of replacement.

A benefit concert is being held Sunday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church with proceeds going toward Bread and Roses to purchase two new refrigeration units. Matching funds will be provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

There is no charge for the concert, but a free-will offering will be taken. The event will include a musical portion and a storytelling portion and is designed to appeal to people of all ages.

For more information about Bread and Roses or about the concert benefit call the church at 261-1663.