Fill-A-Belly started with the simple belief that we can all make a difference in our community. Over the last 10 years, our value for relationship continues to be the driving force behind everything we do and every meal we serve.
Everyone wants to feel known and cared for, not invisible or worthless. Volunteers and guests alike eat together, building relationships by sharing a meal, playing games, and talking with each other.
We ask our volunteers to prepare healthy, home-cooked, balanced meals using fresh, delicious ingredients. All our meals are cooked with pride never using expired or low-quality food. We focus on flavor and stand by the rule, “if we won’t eat it, we won’t serve it.”
Our guests are invited to help serve and clean at our weekly dinners. We want our guests to be empowered and take ownership over the evening and engage in ways they are comfortable.
Fill-A-Belly’s ultimate goal is to encourage wholeness and life lived to the fullest for every human being.
First and foremost, everyone we have the opportunity to serve is referred to as our guest. Some of the people we get to welcome are:
Food insecure
Homeless or Travelers
Low income families
People with mental illnesses
People with addictions
Anyone from the community who needs a hot meal and some companionship
Each other
Every week, we see people from a wide range of backgrounds come together as a community. Our goal is to break down the “buffet line barrier” that often exists between volunteers and guests.
We do this by inviting our volunteers to interact with the emphasis on building relationships with our guests.
Every week our volunteer team prepares and serves a nutritious, home-cooked meal for our guests at two locations: Holiday Park in Carlsbad and Cottonwood Creek Park in Encinitas.
We have the opportunity to serve dinner and get to know over 100 people each week. Over our 10 years of service, that’s more than 52,000 meals.
From Girl Scout troops to rugby clubs to church groups to real estate associations (and everything in-between!) our volunteers make Fill-A-Belly happen.
We wouldn’t exist without the dedicated commitment of our volunteers.
Volunteer Staff
Laura Voskova
Executive Director
Molly McKeown
Co-Founder
Morgan Funke
Co-Founder
Volunteer Board
Mike Debbas
Treasurer
Jules Abraham
Board Member
Kathleen Dallas-Orr
Board Member
John Brody
Board Member
Todd Pazdur
Board Member
James Phenice
Board Member
In April 2008 Molly McKeown was walking in the Village of Carlsbad to a friend’s house. During her walk she was approached by several homeless asking for a meal or money to buy food. Having nothing to give them, Molly continued on her way. In that moment, her eyes were suddenly opened to the needs of the homeless in her community.
She had never noticed them before; a group sitting at the fountain, a man sleeping at the Coaster station, a woman walking her bike down the sea wall. Distressed by the number of people who approached her and heart-broken that she had nothing to give them, Molly began to contemplate what she could do. What did she possibly have to give?
That’s when she thought the simple idea, “I have a kitchen, I can cook.” She offered the idea to her sister Morgan who supported it and saw it as an opportunity to get others involved in the community. Morgan jumped at the chance to do something tangible. The two sisters’ endeavor started as sack dinners and has now grown into a two-city operation offering friendship and a warm meal to upwards of 200 people a week.
