College is draining — emotionally, physically and financially. With the help of the churches on campus, students can grab a quick bite to eat without spending a dime.
University Presbyterian Church, University United Methodist Church, The Refuge, Christ the King Catholic Church and St. Alban’s Episcopal Chapel all offer free meals to students at varying times in the week. Some organizations offer standard lunch, like Christ the King at noon on Thursdays, while others offer lunch with a twist, like St. Alban’s “Lunch with C.S. Lewis” on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m.
The church lunches can resemble a cafeteria lineup. Upon arriving at both of the churches, students wait in a line where church members encourage discussion. At St. Alban’s, students are provided name tags so everyone can get to know each other.
The lunch volunteers welcome visitors as they enter the church. Students are greeted with a plethora of home-cooked dishes such as red beans and rice with a side salad and a dinner roll before migrating to various open tables.
To feed the masses, churches rely on a variety of support. When preparing to feed the multifarious students on Thursdays, Christ the King acquires help from fellow Catholic organizations, like The Knights of Columbus.
Rev. Bob Stine, Christ the King’s priest who has been a part of the lunches for three years, said that the Knights of Columbus are always looking to give back to the Cath-
olic church.
“They cook and pay for everything at the lunches,” Stine said. “By them doing this, we don’t lose a penny.”
Free food and friendly faces keep accounting senior Caroline Alley coming back to Christ the King throughout her four years at LSU.
“The food is amazing,” Alley said. “I’ve been coming to Christ the King for a while and I enjoy the company of everyone here. It’s refreshing talking to older people when you’re always surrounded by students.”
Though Christ the King breaks even, St. Alban’s loses money with every lunch served. Rev. Andrew Rollins said that while the church tries to raise money through different organizations, they still do not always raise enough money for the food that they provide students.
“We are committed to give back to the students,” Rollins said. “We may lose money every week, but we enjoy giv-
ing back.”
Communication studies junior Derby Willis has attended “Lunch with C.S. Lewis” at St. Alban’s for two years. She said she loves the home environment and the people who attend. Along with this lunch, she also attends a dinner on Sunday nights.
“This lunch used to be a small gathering of about 20 people,” Willis said. “We used to sit around and we would read one of C.S. Lewis’s books while we ate. I like how word got out, and now it’s a big thing that many 
students participate in.”
Even if students only come for the free food, the churches want to make sure that the students feel like they can come back anytime they want.
“Students leave here and come back at a later time for counseling,” Stine said. “Because of these lunches, the students know that we are here for them and that’s what matters most.”