CENTRE — A group of around 50 local volunteers is gearing up to make sure local families in need will get some warm clothing and at least one hot meal this holiday season.

And they're hoping to eventually do much more than that.

Mission Meals will be serving free, hot Christmas meals at Pine Grove Baptist Church on County Road 22 this Saturday, Dec. 15. Doors will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. While supplies last, volunteers will also hand out jackets, scarves, coats, gloves, hats and blankets. Children will get a “care package” of goodies, too.

“There is a need in this county for a place where people can come and get a hot meal,” explained Brandi Green, one of the organizers of Mission Meals. “On the one day in November that they provided pantry and staple items, the Family Planning Center handed out items to 192 families, 355 individuals, in one day.”

Green said those numbers went a long way toward convincing her and her fellow volunteers there was a place for an organization like Mission Meals.

“There are a lot of good agencies in the county that provide assistance in times of emergency, and Family Planning is great at what it does, but there is a void for a place for people to go for a hot meal,” she said.

Green said Mission Meals will work off a basic soup kitchen model, and is comprised of dozens of people—some members of Pine Grove, some not—who have reached out since hearing about the program to volunteer.

“Once the word got out, people starting calling and emailing to let us know they wanted to help any way they could,” Green said. “People want to bring food, work in the serving line, anything to help. They just want to give.”

Green said she hopes this weekend's session of giving will be only the beginning.

“We're starting it December 15, and Pine Grove is our temporary location,” Green said. “Our goal in 2013, hopefully early 2013, is to grow this into a once-a-month hot soup kitchen, hopefully more centrally located in Centre. Hopefully, eventually, if we get all the help and assistance we think we will, we want to do this every week.”

Green said she is working with local officials to try and find the ideal spot for a permanent home for Mission Meals.

“We're looking for any place, not necessarily a restaurant-type location,” she said. “We just need access, so if we have to we can install a microwave, or an oven, whatever we need.”

Green said as long as the space is large to feed all of the people she hopes will eventually come to Mission Meals, she's not overly worried about the rest.

“Our community has always been so giving and so caring, I feel like the rest of it will work out and we will find what we need to fill the gaps,” she said. “I'm really hoping that this article will flush somebody out who is willing to help us.”

Green said she and the rest of the Mission Meals team is also willing to expand the partnership with any groups willing to pitch in.

“I don’t think we’ll ever have a problem getting people to serve, so we want to form partnerships in the community, with businesses, with other churches, civic organizations, school groups, Girl Scout groups, whoever wants to partner with us,” she said.

Green said Mission Meals won't have any requirements for people to enter, sit down and enjoy a hot meal.

“We want it to be a place where when you come in, you're fed, you're loved, and you know it's going to be there,” she said. “We'll also have people there who will be available to fill any needs, or problems that people might be having. If we can offer any help to anyone, we'll do that.”

Anyone who wants more information about Mission Meals, or would like to volunteer or donate supplies, may contact Green at 256-557-5207 or brandiradar@hotmail.com.