Chattanooga Community Kitchen volunteers busily filled plates with barbecue chicken, cole slaw, baked beans and bread as 500 clients lined up, wrapping around the entire length of the building, in preparation for the annual barbecue celebration Aug. 11.
Chattanooga Community Kitchen volunteers pass out barbecue chicken, cole slaw and baked beans to clients.Both homeless and low-income clients walked forward to receive the free food, and some immediately returned to the back of the line for seconds. Despite their circumstances, those in line were in good spirits as volunteers lined up to help fill their basic need - hunger.
"A group of hunters brings meat to R & D Slaughter House in Dunlap," said Chattanooga Community Kitchen assistant director Jens Christensen, adding that R & D donated 500 pounds of meat to CCK. "We collect it, save it and freeze it to prepare at the barbecue event. This year was unique because Signal Mountain's Poppy's Barbecue owner David Soloff cooked the barbecue for us over two and a half days."
Christensen said about 25 pounds of barbecue sauce and about 500 pounds of barbecue filled clients bellies at the event. Watermelon and bread pudding were served for dessert.
"It was good," said CCK client Michael Davis, of the barbecue ribs, beans and bread. "It was a good time. I come here for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. I live in the west side."
Chattanooga Community Kitchen Executive Director Charlie Hughes said the kitchen director of operations Tim Wood began the day at 2 a.m. preparing for the barbecue event. The night prior, the Rev. Ron Fender made four pans of bread pudding.
Once clients finished their barbecue, they moved in to the CCK Day Center area where center manager Roderick Walker watched as they played games like chess, listened to gospel music and watched "The Andy Griffith Show."
Hughes said he appreciates all donations given to the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, which serves three daily meals seven days per week.
Breakfast is served from 7 to 8 a.m., lunch from 10:45 a.m. to noon and dinner from 4 to 5 p.m.
Chattanooga Community Kitchen, located at 727 E. 11th St., can be reached by calling 756-4222.