Victory Kitchen serves the community

SANDUSKY — Victory Kitchen has been feeding the Sandusky community and surrounding areas since 1991. The nonprofit organization, at 1613 Hayes Ave., serves hot meals Monday through Friday all year. Breakfast is served from 9-11 a.m. and lunch is served from 12-3 p.m. They serve an average of 150 to 200 plates a day. Victory Kitchen's mission statement is "to be the helping hands for the lost and hurting people in the community, keeping the focus uncluttered, pure and simple." For the holiday season, Victory Kitchen cooks Thanksgiving and Christmas meals the day before each holiday. The kitchen is closed on the actual holiday. "Everything is homemade," said Carolynne Walters, secretary at Victory Kitchen. "Everything is just over the top." Their Thanksgiving meal was served 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, where they also handed out turkeys and food bags. Anyone is welcome at Victory Kitchen. Walters said they don't ask questions. Victory Kitchen has been providing shoebox Christmas gifts to children for 28 years. On Christmas Eve, the organization hands out the gifts to children between ages 1-12 while dinner is served from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For its annual Christmas giveaway, Victory Kitchen organizes Battle of the Boxes in which local schools compete to collect the most shoebox gifts. Victory Kitchen not only provides hot meals, but it also gives out pantry goods, fruits, vegetables, coats, hats, gloves, hygiene products and many other items. "It doesn't seem like the need ever gets smaller. The need continues to get bigger," Walters said. "We try to meet every need." How to help People can help Victory Kitchen by: Calling: 419-627-8732 Visiting: victorykitchen.net Emailing: victorytemple@hotmail.com Mailing: P.O. Box 2593, Sandusky OH 44870