At a benefit concert for the Breakfast Program at St. Andrew’s in Ann Arbor, Mich., Friday night, Bishop Bonnie Perry discovered she had something in common with members of the band: They are Episcopalians.
It turns out Old Crow Medicine Show frontman and Grammy award-winning musician Ketch Secor is a founder, parent and board chair emeritus of the Episcopal School of Nashville. Long-time band bassist Morgan Jahnig also follows the Episcopal faith.
“It was so much fun to connect with Ketch and Morgan, both of whom are Episcopalians,” said Perry. “They were delighted to use their music to raise money to feed hungry neighbors. Ketch said, ‘This is, after all, what all of us are supposed to be doing.’”
Perry rallied the crowd at the Michigan Theater before the high-energy band took the stage. She told them that the Breakfast Program serves free food 365 days a year to anyone who walks through the doors at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.
Throughout the nearly three-hour show Secor — who sometimes ate at soup kitchens as an up-and-coming musician — reminded audience members about the need to help those less fortunate. He even called on people running for office “to do more ladling and less yammering…”
The Breakfast Program has been ladling food for others since 1982. Some mornings, more than 100 people show up. On a recent Wednesday, Sue Nishi, program director, was juggling pots and pans — literally. There were ovens full of egg dishes and potatoes to monitor amid the practiced hustle and bustle of volunteers setting up food and drink stations.
In addition to scrambled eggs (some with cheese, bacon and peppers), the menu included sausages, roasted potatoes, oatmeal, cereal, watermelon, orange juice and coffee. There was also a pot of homemade chicken soup with vegetables, beans, brown rice and quinoa.
Nishi took over as program director a year ago. She saw the program’s newly expanded health department license as an opportunity to beef up the menu with more protein, fresh produce and nutritional value from its traditional oatmeal and pastries.
Working with Food Gatherers, the Ann Arbor nonprofit food bank and food rescue program founded by Zingerman’s, Nishi expanded the types of food the Breakfast Program receives. In addition to staple ingredients for sandwiches, the weekly delivery will include whatever Food Gatherers has in abundance. It can be eggplants, onions, carrots or sweet potatoes.
Two to three times a week Nishi takes what shows up and, along with volunteers, holds an afternoon of creative meal preparation. One time they turned boxes of avocados into guacamole to serve with burritos. Another day they were trying to decide what to do with 50 pounds of potatoes when a volunteer suggested soup.
“We served it with shredded cheese and bacon bits. Oh, my gosh — did people love that,” said Nishi.
For Nishi, who spent seven years as an attorney before turning to volunteer and nonprofit work, running the program is fulfilling on multiple levels. “It’s a lot of fun. I have always enjoyed feeding people, and it is incredibly rewarding to be able to offer the same kind of high-quality nutritious food that I would be proud to serve to guests in my own home.
The goodwill extends beyond food nutrition. The Breakfast Program coordinates with other social service groups to offer clothes and supplies for surviving on the streets. Belts are a popular item because those who are unhoused often wear second-hand pants that might not fit. Staff and volunteers get to know the regular guests, and if someone is struggling, they reach out to local organizations on their behalf for follow-up help.
The Rev. Paul Frolick, rector at St. Andrew’s, said the Breakfast Program connects the church not only with the guests who come for food and fellowship, but also the diverse community of active and retired people who volunteer, as well as students and staff from the nearby University of Michigan.
Frolick said hunger is a harsh reality for many, even in an upscale college town like Ann Arbor.
“I’ve been shocked by the extent of food insecurity here in Ann Arbor,” he said. “I grew up in mid-Michigan forty years ago and was certainly not aware of this level of need. I’ve come to suspect that similar levels of need exist in most communities in our country, but because of the Breakfast Program, we’re more aware of it here. We serve a substantial population that might otherwise not have a reliable source of vital nutrition.”
While events like the benefit concert help, Frolick said additional support is needed to ensure that the Breakfast Program can be sustained at its current level.
“We are trusting that generous longtime and new donors will see the value of this ministry and step up to support it. The need is real, and we know this community has the resources and will to address it,” he said.
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