GALION — Some meals feed the stomach. Some meals feed the soul. For Chanel Hipp, The Comfort Kitchen delivers both — without forms, lines or questions.
“It’s not just about helping those who can’t afford food,” Hipp said. “Sometimes it’s a widow spending her first holiday alone, or a family whose loved one is starting cancer treatment.
“A warm meal can meet people in quiet, challenging moments.”
The Comfort Kitchen is born
The mission is simple — feed the people, no questions asked.
“We want to meet people exactly where they are at,” Hipp said. “You don’t have to be struggling financially to need comfort.”
Whether you’re facing medical problems, feeling lonely or carrying new responsibilities, Hipp wants everyone to know they are welcome at The Comfort Kitchen.
While serving Thanksgiving lunch at their family business, Chanel and her husband, Michael Hipp heard how many employees were quietly dealing with a lot. Some were even housing displaced relatives, grandchildren or friends in need.
When she invited everyone to take extra food home, the relief and gratitude the couple witnessed revealed how far people were stretching themselves to care for others during hard times.
“In that moment, I realized service inspires service,” she said. “Our family’s tradition of feeding people could become something more intentional — meeting people in those quiet, challenging places,” she said.
Because the meals come prepackaged, Hipp said she can serve them quickly from a table next to her vehicle.
“They don’t even need to physically get out of their vehicle,” she said. “They will tell us how many servings they need, we will put it in a bag for them and they can be on their way.
“We don’t ever want to turn someone away, but we also know the need is great — especially in the beginning,” Hipp said. “As we get a few events under out belt, we hope to grow into a ministry constantly meeting people where they are.”
Big aspirations for a bright future
While still figuring out what the future looks like, Hipp said she would love to see The Comfort Kitchen grow beyond herself.
“My hope is for it to become a true community effort, where people not only support their own neighbors, but those in nearby towns who may need a moment of comfort,” she said.
She credits her faith for moving forward with The Comfort Kitchen, stating food is what she has always known and looks forward to being able to share with the community — no questions asked.
Her children are big motivators for what she does. Hipp said that being in a season of life where they can help is an opportunity not everyone gets.
“Life can change, and one day any of us could find ourselves needing the very kind of support we once offered,” she said.
The biggest lesson Hipp said she has learned through this process, even before she served the first meal, is community, generosity and human connection matter more than anything.
A family history of giving
Hipp belonged to a national service sorority in college. She said their group would cook dinner at the Ronald McDonald House every night and visit assisted living facilities to pass out snacks.
However, serving others has always been a trait running deep within her, thanks to a long line of women in her family who she credits for this project.
“I think everyone has a family story about feeding others, but mine is woven especially deep,” she said.
Hipp acknowledged her grandmother, Margie Williams, who lived in Crestline for years. Williams would share stories with Hipp about her mother, who would make big pots of soup beans for anyone who would wander her way.
“There was one man she remembered clearly who wore a threadbare, patched suit that looked almost like a quilt,” Hipp said. “But he dressed in the very best he had out of respect for the warm meal he was receiving.”
Hipp also reflected on multiple family members who have demonstrated their giving heart through food. Among them was her great-grandmother Georgiana Covert, who worked as a cafeteria cook for Mount Gilead City Schools.
“She couldn’t stand the idea that a child wanting seconds meant they had to pay more,” Hipp said. “To her, every kid should eat until they were full.
“My other grandmother, Rodella Covert, who is nearly 89, still lays out food every time we stop by,” she said. “It’s her way of taking care of us.”
Her father fed people for years through St. Paul United Methodist church, citing spaghetti dinners and church fundraisers as a regular part of her childhood.
“To me, feeding people isn’t just about food,” she said. “It’s how families show love and one of the most universal ways to say ‘I’m here you’.”
How to get involved?
Anyone intersted in working with The Comfort Kitchen can reach out through Facebook.
Hipp said people can donate ingredients, volunteer to serve at an event or allow use of parking lot/property space for a drive-thru.
“If a church, business or organization is willing to let us use their parking lot for two hours so we can run a drive-thru meal line, we’re happy to come,” Hipp said.
After their initial launch Dec. 14, Hipp says they plan to explore more communities beyond Galion. Shelby, Mansfield, Ontario, Lexington, Loudonville, Lucas and Perrysville are just a few she named she would love to serve if they are able.
“We’re very fortunate to be surrounded by so many towns that are close together,” she said.
For those who want to start a similar project, Hipp said it’s simple — begin with what you have, involve the people around you and let it grow naturally.
“If your heart is in the right place, and you’re doing this for the right reasons, it will matter — whether you feed two people or two hundred,” Hipp said. “Those two people might have needed you more than you’ll ever know. Trust that God goes with you and keep moving forward.”