In June, the Chattanooga Community Kitchen served a record 16,000 meals to the homeless. September's numbers were almost as high: 15,000 meals that month.

"And our biggest days are still to come," said Jack Riggar, fundraising coordinator for the social services agency on East 11th Street.

"By the end of this year, we will have served well over 160,000 meals," said Allen Corey. "The need for help is going up every month."

Mr. Corey and wife Maddin are chairing this year's Fast Day campaign, the Community Kitchen's largest annual fundraiser. Their goal is $600,000, an ambitious amount in a recession.

Fast Day is traditionally the Sunday before Thanksgiving, said Mr. Riggar. A day of fasting began within local churches; but as the campaign has grown, the fundraiser has spread to hundreds of churches around the tri-state area that hold collections throughout November.

Many individuals still donate the money to the campaign that they would have spent on one meal, one day's meals or a week's worth of food, he said, while other fundraisers include unified church efforts.

The Coreys were volunteers for the Community Kitchen long before taking the reins of this campaign.

They first became involved through St. Matthew's shelter for men, operated in Second Presbyterian Church by the Community Kitchen. They have also supported the agency financially for numerous years.

"I believe that the homeless are as much a part of our community as anyone else and they need the assistance more than anybody," said Mr. Corey, chief executive officer of Gordon Biersch Restaurant Group.

Community Kitchen Executive Director Charlie Hughes said the agency is seeing an increase in elderly homeless men and women needing help. Mr. Hughes attributes this new phenomena to adults who have lost connection with their families or outlived them.

Mr. Corey said the work done by the agency is much broader than feeding the homeless. The agency's staff provide foot care, laundry facilities, overnight housing, health care, case management and employment assistance.

"The Community Kitchen provides support for all aspects of homeless life, not just food and housing. We are lucky to have the Community Kitchen provide this broad range of services to the homeless on our behalf, and I believe it's our duty to help," Mr. Corey said.

"We owe our gratitude to all the hardworking folks who work daily at the Community Kitchen," he said.

All this work is supported by donors, he added. The Community Kitchen receives no funding from the government or United Way.

To help the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, call 756-4222.