St. Luke's Shelter Meal Program

Temple  Micah volunteers prepare and serve a ready-to-eat dinner four times a month, typically on a Sunday or Thursday night beginning at 6:30 and ending about 8:00,  at the shelter for six homeless men operated by St. Luke's United Methodist Church at Wisconsin Ave. and  Calvert St., NW, down the street from Temple  Micah.

Temple families participating in this dinner program include couples, singles, families with bar or bat mitzvah students who participate as part of their mitzvah project, and families with older or younger children who wish to incorporate community and social action into the rhythm of their lives.  Typically, the person or family delivering the meal remains and eats dinner with the men.  According to shelter members, the men enjoy socializing with the volunteers and it gives them a chance for social contact as they try to reintegrate with the community. Each family does the whole meal alone, and the schedule rotates so that participating families are assigned about 6 nights a year.

The shelter was created in 1991 on the model provided by Micah House. The Micah House Board produced a “How To” pamphlet based on our experiences in establishing and operating a home for five previously homeless women.   June K., St. Luke’s Shelter Coordinator, says our pamphlet was inspiring and extremely helpful to them in establishing their shelter.  St. Luke’s Shelter provides a 6-month transitional program for up to six men referred by local social service agencies.  The shelter, located in St. Luke's basement, is open to the men year-round from 6 pm to 7 am, seven days a week. 

There was an article in the February 2006 Vine about the Temple being honored for its work over many years in this program.

Email us for information about this and other meals-for-the-homeless programs.