Feeding One Meal At A Time

The line in Bienville Square Sunday afternoons in Mobile can get 100 people deep. At the front handing out sodas is Charley Davis, a formerly homeless man who pitches in at One Meal.

“Cause god has something in store for them and I know he's going to have something in store for me for helping so I don't mind helping,” says Davis. The meals happen every Sunday around 4 pm. Last May the family of Mike McKinley was inspired to start One Meal in downtown Mobile.

“Cause we provide them one meal a week, one guaranteed meal that they know they can depend on getting every week,” says founder and president Mike McKinley. Mike's daughter came up with the idea after being deluged with requests for help from the homeless after the annual Gumbo Cook-Off. She says it's a cause she's going to stick with.

“It's something I want to do, it's better than being with my friends, better than doing something else this is what I want to do every Sunday, go to church and come here every Sunday afternoon,” says Marina McKinley. The family gets donations from drop boxes around town and local churches, but could always use more help, even if it's just a helping hand. After about 20 minutes the feeding is finished, there's nothing left. That's because organizers say the needs are growing.

“The Lord just showed me that there was a need to help out, they need to eat,” says Mike McKinley. You can go to their website, or call 251-379-9014 for more information.