A group of Christian churches throughout the city have banded together in a ecumenical effort known informally as The Family Table and Friday Night Meals to provide freshly prepared, hot meals to the hungry in the community on Friday evenings from 5-7 p.m.

The community-oriented effort began three years ago with its founder, Rev. John Payne of the Heritage of Faith (Disciples of Christ) Christian Church. The service grew from humble origins of turnouts near 20 people to today’s average attendance of 60.

As it still is today, Payne explains that various local businesses would make food donations towards the monthly meal hosted by his church with the rest of the meals coming from volunteers. Payne added that one rule of volunteering in the effort is that those cooking and serving also must sit down and eat and talk with the people in attendance. Unlike the average soup kitchen line, a friendly conversation and a smile is waiting for you at every Friday night dinner table.

Payne said the original target focus was to help the homeless, needy and those going hungry in the Mission Valley, which is limited in its homeless services. Now the program has been broadened to anyone who is hungry whether you live on the street, you are a young couple with kids, or just someone who could use a good meal to help make ends meet.

“Despite the demographic averages, most people in Polson are making minimum wage and don’t have healthcare, and it can be a tough place,” Payne said.

“The people who come to the dinners — they appreciate what we’re doing so much . . . it’s not just a meal, it’s company and it’s community.”

Then a year ago the First Presbyterian Church of Polson joined the effort, hosting and providing hot meals on the second Friday of every month. The church’s Deacon Board headed their initial involvement with the meals program before the entire congregation came on, and it became a monthly rotation between groups within the church itself.

“It’s open to the whole community, not just the needy, and you don’t need to prove   church mission to help out in the community and non-Christians are as welcome as Christians. Our sole objective is to feed people.”

Davidson added that on the Fridays his church hosts the meals, he has seen a near double in attendance starting with around 40 and reaching to between 70 and 80 people fed in a given month this season.

“Some tough times have hit recently so we could very well see more people this month,” Davidson said.

The church deacon also said his church takes pride in knowing that through their efforts they are instrumental in feeding some of the local children whose families go without in Polson.

Within the past few months, the local Roman Catholic church of Polson threw their hat in the ring also, taking the duty of providing meals the first Friday of the month. According to Payne, the local Episcopal Church and Methodist Church have also discussed providing a meal per month.

The reverend added that he has found that the church and community volunteers who give their time to this program are the true caretakers of the community, who tirelessly give it all.

“It’s a labor of love, not a job.”

The next Friday Night Meals offering will be Jan. 30 from 5-7 p.m. at the Heritage Faith (Disciples of Christ) Christian Church at 101 7th Avenue in Polson.