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Quick Facts Bar
When
Second Thursday of every month
Time
An afternoon and evening — or just the part you can give
Where
St. Luke's kitchen & the DeWitt Center, North Auburn
Experience Needed
None. If you can stir a pot or carry a tray, you're qualified.
Our Crew
20 parishioners — and room for more
What We Do
A Second Thursday with the TGI Crew
We shop
Each month we purchase enough food to feed 160 guests living at The Gathering Inn's shelter at the DeWitt Center.
We cook
On the second Thursday, the crew gathers in St. Luke's kitchen to prepare the meal together. There's plenty of laughter between the chopping and stirring.
We serve
We deliver the food to the DeWitt Center and serve it personally to the guests — face to face, plate by plate.
We clean up
Back at St. Luke's, we wash up, put the kitchen back in order, and head home full in a different way.
Why This Ministry Matters
The number of people in need of housing and regular meals continues to grow in Auburn and across Placer County. The Gathering Inn — which serves nearly 400 individuals and families daily, in several Placer County locations — depends on churches and community volunteers to help cook and serve as many meals as possible each month.
But this ministry is about more than food. Through the help of Christ, we get to meet the basic needs of our brothers and sisters: a hot meal, a sense of belonging, and the dignity of being seen. As one guest put it, receiving his plate: "Thank you so much for this beautiful food."
How This Ministry Began In the early 2000s, St. Luke's served Sunday dinners to about 40 neighbors without shelter, brought to our church by The Gathering Inn of Roseville — one of several Auburn churches offering similar hospitality. As the need grew, Placer County allocated space at the DeWitt Center to provide housing and regular meals. St. Luke's team expanded alongside other community volunteers, taking turns providing meals for the guests there. Volunteers of America administered the shelter from 2017 to 2022; since 2022, The Gathering Inn has carried that role forward. Today, 20 St. Luke's parishioners continue this two-decade tradition of feeding our neighbors — and the table keeps getting longer.
A Volunteer's Story
"I had been praying for guidance about how I could help those living without shelter in Auburn. This ministry gives our parishioners a firsthand opportunity to serve and to receive — to serve those in need, and to receive the blessings of the love poured back to us from the guests at 'The Inn.' It's a chance to meet our brothers and sisters in their current difficult circumstances and discover that they are, for the most part, just like us."
— George Hoffecker, Ministry Co-Lead
Contact Us
We Have Room at the Counter
With more hands, we could rotate more people through the cooking and serving crews — sharing the load and sharing this rewarding experience with more of our parish family. Whether you can come every month or just want to try it once, there's a place for you.
Can't make a Thursday? You can still support this ministry through your giving.
Ministry Leads
Donna Burgess — 530-305-8129 — donnaeburgess@gmail.com George Hoffecker — 530-305-8157 — ghoffecker@gmail.com
Prefer to talk first? Call or email either of us anytime — we'd love to tell you more.