The Second Helping

The Second Helping 
The Second Helping, established in November 1998, is the primary local mission of First Congregational United Church of Christ. The Second Helping is a Sunday evening community meal that is open to anyone who needs it. Guests are served a home-cooked dinner  at 6:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall and are given a sack lunch with food for breakfast and lunch the next day. 

We serve dinner on every Sunday, including holidays. The average number of  guests served is 25-35 each week. In a typical year, we serve over 2,500 meals.

The Second Helping is funded through our operating budget and special gifts to this ministry. On the first Sunday of each month we "Fill the Breadbasket" during worship. You are invited to bring a cash donation or items for our lunch sacks, such as individual flavored oatmeal packets, granola bars,or individually-wrapped snack crackers (such as cheese or peanut butter). 

Each year there are about 400 volunteer slots to fill, representing nearly 1500 volunteer hours. Volunteers come from the church, the community, and student groups at K-State. If you are interested in volunteering, you can e-mail the office to be connected to our volunteer coordinator.

Common Table Garden
As a part of our Second Helping ministry, we are involved with Common Table. The mission of Common Table is to support existing ministries which provide community meals in Manhattan, KS and to work towards expanding these meals to seven days a week and providing educational programs. The Common Table Garden is located on part of our property, just northwest of the church on Humboldt Street. We work with Common Table to coordinate the garden and the food is used to supply Second Helping and other community meals. To learn more about volunteering in the garden, please contact the church office. 

2015 Common Table Garden Report