St. John's Sack Lunch Program

06/01/2026

Our motto is “If you are hungry, we will feed you!” We also know that need can look many different ways: being unhoused, living paycheck to paycheck, surviving on a fixed income, facing unexpected expenses, or experiencing a crisis like job loss. There is no shame in needing help. We are a community that loves our neighbors near and far. If you’re looking for ways to give back long term or during the summer, we have opportunities for you! We welcome our new volunteers to our Sack Lunch family and thank you for choosing to serve❤️

05/28/2026

We extend our congratulations to our neighbors, Community Rescue Mission and The Next Step Homeless Services! 👏👏Community Rescue Mission is expanding its housing options for families experiencing homelessness by offering the Miller Cottages and Next Step Homeless Services celebrated the ground breaking for the Next Step Neighborhood. The “Neighborhood” will include a community of 30 tiny homes that is planned to be available within the next year or two for adults experiencing homelessness. 🏠🏡. We are happy for both agencies and pray for their continued success. Did you know Next Step Homeless Services also known as “The Day” room was founded by St John’s Episcopal Church, including the Sack Lunch Program? It all began with a few caring people who looked at their community and asked what they could do to make things better. Community Rescue Mission, Next Step Homeless Services and the Sack Lunch Program involves many helpers from all walks of life, faiths and backgrounds. God commands us to help the ‘least of these’ and we thank everyone who is answering the call. 🙏❤️

05/26/2026

We are back in business! Thank you Sandy, Debbie and LeAnne for serving this morning. The ladies told us there was a long line of grateful people waiting when they opened the serving window. We welcome anyone in need of a meal and drink to stop by again during our lunch serving time: 11:30 a.m. to noon. We are located in Fort Smith at 317 N. F Street.

05/23/2026

Rainy days make flowers bloom!☔️🌷 Our co-Director, Jean, confirmed that we will resume our regular serving hours on Tuesday, May 26. Have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend!

05/20/2026

Updates on the work being done on the roof at Sack Lunch: The rain has caused a few delays, but the guys told us they expect to be done by this Friday. 🤞 🙏

05/15/2026

We are open today through this Saturday, but we want to let everyone know that the Sack Lunch Program will be closed Sunday May 17 through Friday May 22nd due to extensive roof repair on the building and for the safety of our volunteers and visitors. We will place a sign in the window notifying customers of this temporary closure. We encourage our regular visitors in need of food to visit The Next Step Homeless Services or Hope Campus. Both agencies serve breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. We are sorry for this inconvenience.

05/14/2026

We think our visitors would have a lot to say about transportation needs in Fort Smith.

🚍 Join the Conversation About Transportation in Fort Smith! 🚍

Please join us online or in person for the 2026 Fort Smith Transportation Fair!

📅 Online Session: May 28, 2026
📍 In-Person Event: May 30, 2026
⛪ First Presbyterian Church – Fort Smith

Community partners, including Fort Smith Transit, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, Area Agency on Aging of Western Arkansas, Fort Smith Police Department, and others, will be there to discuss transportation and mobility needs across our region.

We want to hear directly from Fort Smith residents and community organizations! Come share:
✅ Transportation challenges you face today
✅ What you want to see next for transit and mobility
✅ Questions, ideas, and feedback for local partners

You’ll also have the opportunity to:
🤝 Meet local organizations
📚 Learn about transportation resources
🗣️ Ask questions and share your voice

📲 Use the QR code to register today!

05/13/2026

If plastic bags featured photos of good people doing good things, maybe those bags would never end up in the streets, landfill, waterways, or other places they don’t belong. 🤔

Today, we want to thank our wonderful volunteers Tammie, Vicki, Lana, Susan, and Deborah, (not pictured). ❤️. During their shift, they served 150 sack meals, including 53 for children. They also made 200 meat & cheese sandwiches and 150 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for our breakfast and lunch crew tomorrow. 🙏. Special thanks to Ling Ling for making Brie spread to include on our sandwiches today.

We are so grateful for our volunteers and the difference they make every single day. Want to join us? We have volunteer opportunities available for all ages. Hungry? Struggling to keep food in your home? Stop by Sack Lunch for a free meal and drink. Pet parents may also request dog or cat food!

05/12/2026

Fun happens when you’re among friends! However, we know our volunteers turn into busy bees when our visitors arrive. We have several volunteer positions open if you would like to join the Sack Lunch team. 💪. You may serve once a month or more frequently. With school letting out soon for the summer, this is a great opportunity for kids to get involved.

If you feel called to give back and help others, direct message us or contact St. John’s Episcopal Church, and you will be connected with our co-director, Jean Kolljeski, at (479) 782-9912

For those in need of food, we welcome you to Sack Lunch during our service hours:

Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to noon
Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to noon 🥪🍌🍊