MUNCIE, Ind. -- Residents of a local homeless shelter will receive a catered meal thanks to students in Ball State University’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Members of two quantity food production classes will prepare and serve the Oct. 15 "Harvest in the Heartland" dinner at the downtown Muncie Mission.

Lois Altman, assistant professor of family and consumer sciences, said the logistical challenge is part of Ball State’s emphasis toward service learning.

"Service learning allows students to transfer what they learn in class to service projects," Altman said. "We also want students to take a look at their feelings about working with different populations in different settings."

This is second year for Altman’s students to prepare a meal at the Muncie Mission. The shelter has also received food prepared by students as they learn to use equipment in their laboratory kitchen.

Students in Altman’s two classes are responsible for preparing nine meals each semester. Most are served on campus in the Applied Technology Building’s Allegre restaurant. However, because of Ball State’s fall break Oct. 12-13, the two classes joined forces to offer their weekly meal off campus at the mission.

A different student manager is responsible for each weekly meal. Altman said the managers make all decisions ranging from planning menus to use of personnel and equipment.

Dale Lutton volunteered to manage the Muncie Mission meal as an outgrowth of his personal commitment to working with people from Muncie’s Salvation Army.

"We hope to be able to do something positive for the men at the mission," Lutton said. "They’re courteous and appreciative. They’re good people who have just had some hard times."

Menu for the Oct. 15 meal includes tomato cabbage salad, barbecued pork chop, macaroni and cheese, hot homemade rolls, applesauce cake and cream cheese icing.

"It’s a good ‘meat and potatoes’ meal for the men," Lutton said.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about this story or how to reach the source, contact Anthony Barker at 765-285-1560 or tbarker@wp.bsu.edu.)