Allegheny Valley Church of God serves a free lunch to the community every third Wednesday of the month. This month’s lunch was chili, perfect for a cold January day. The meals are served by congregation volunteers at the church hall in New Kensigton.
Valley News Dispatch
There really is such thing as a free lunch: New Kensington church offers it once a month
Church member Gregory Paul of New Kensington, who has been coming to Allegheny Valley Church of God every Sunday for eight years, sits down to enjoy a free chili lunch on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the church in New Kensington. (Shane Dunlap | TribLive)
Allegheny Valley Church of God members Victoria Covington (left) and Carl Holeczy, both of New Kensington, volunteer to help pack free to-go bag lunches for community members on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the New Kensington church. (Shane Dunlap | TribLive)
Allegheny Valley Church of God member and volunteer Karen Belin (right), of New Kensington, serves chili and cookies with the help of fellow volunteer Donna Majetich on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the church in New Kensington. (Shane Dunlap | TribLive)
Allegheny Valley Church of God member and volunteer Carl Holeczy (right) gets a hug from a fellow church member while serving a free hot chili lunch on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the New Kensington church. (Shane Dunlap | TribLive)
About the Writers
Shane Dunlap is a TribLive photographer covering Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. He grew up in the Ohio Valley near Pittsburgh and has worked for newspapers as far away as Fayetteville, N.C., where he covered the U.S. Army at Fort Liberty. He can be reached at sdunlap@triblive.com.
