The James II Project is using the $25,000 grant it recently received from the Jefferson Foundation to cover costs to provide free lunches to those in need at its newest location in Festus.
Those lunches are provided from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Monday at the First United Methodist Church of Festus-Crystal City, 113 Grand Ave.
The James II Project also provides lunches from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Jefferson County Salvation Army worship and community center, 3740 Telegraph Road, in Arnold, where the lunch program has been operating for two years.
The organization also provides information about other assistance programs to those who come for the free lunches.
Karin Kostich, the James II Project founder and executive director, said she is grateful for the Jefferson Foundation grant, adding that the organization previously received a $20,000 grant from the foundation.
“I would like to say we are humbled and very thankful to receive the funds from the Jefferson Foundation for our mission and purpose, which is feeding, encouraging and restoring those who come through the doors for our meals,” she said. “Our meals can change a life. That’s what we believe.”
Kostich said the latest Jefferson Foundation grant allows the James II Project to serve more people because the more funds it has, the more lunches it can provide.
“The money (from the $25,000 grant) has to go to the Festus location,” she said. “Each session we do about $150 in food.
“On the Mondays at Festus, we serve lunches to between 30 and 40 people. On the Tuesdays and Thursdays at Arnold, we serve lunches to between 50 and 60 people.”
Kostich said the lunches are for anyone who comes to the sessions, while supplies last.
“We feed anyone who shows up,” she said. “We don’t take names. We just do a count to determine how much food we need.
“The majority of them are adults. But, in the summer, we get kids, too.”
Kostich said the James II Project gets assistance from other charitable organizations.
“It’s a collaboration with Compass, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Chestnut Health Systems, 25:35 Ministries, the Salvation Army and First United Methodist Church (of Festus-Crystal City),” she said. “We collaborate so we can do the most for the people we’re helping.”
She said the James II Project, an independent nonprofit group, operates with about 150 volunteers.
Kostich said the James II Project, which gets its name from a Bible verse, has grown quite a bit since she started it two years ago.
“We went from serving one meal a week on Tuesdays at the Salvation Army in Arnold to lunches on Tuesday and Thursdays at the Arnold location,” she said. “We went to Tuesdays and Thursdays at Arnold last September. We started in Festus on Mondays in February.”
The James II Project will hold a fundraising mini-golf tournament from 3-6 p.m. Sunday at Pirate’s Crusade Mini Golf, 11801 Tesson Ferry Road, in St. Louis County. The cost is $100 per team of four.
For more information about the group or the mini golf tournament, visit the organization’s website at thejamesiiproject.com or visit The James II Project Facebook page.