Today, we’d like to introduce you to Angie Secor.
Hi Angie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Meals on Mission has been in my heart for a long time. I have always felt that we can share our love through preparing and serving a nourishing meal. I believe everyone should feel that kind of comfort, care, and love. In about 2014, I started a for-profit meal prep and delivery service called DinnerGirl. My favorite part of DinnerGirl was when groups of people would use the service as a “meal train” to support someone going through a challenge.
We’ve been able to support many families going through cancer battles and other crises with meals purchased by their friends and neighbors (and sometimes strangers). My heart expands each time someone purchases the gift of a meal. In 2023, with the help of an amazing group of people who are now the board of directors, we turned this service into a mission by forming a 501(c)(3) organization. We also seek to educate and empower under-resourced kids and families with expanded knowledge about nutrition.
It is a huge challenge for everyone, especially those facing financial challenges, to access nutritious whole foods. We seek to expose kids to healthy options and empower families to create and seek out foods that will fuel them for life. We started providing meals to those nominated by members of our church – Valley Church in Allendale. We then worked with the Jenison Parent Liaison to stock a freezer at Threads Clothing Ministry. This allows the staff of the parent liaison to identify families in their school communities who are facing challenges or a crisis and provide a meal to relieve some of their burden.
We now offer the same outreach to families through Hudsonville schools. We also stock the emergency pantry at Love Your Neighbor in Hudsonville so that individuals going through a challenge, home insecurity, or crisis can have a warm and nourishing meal in an emergency situation. We also cater dinners and supply meals to Urban Family Ministries in Grand Rapids. They are a Christ-centered ministry in the urban core of GR, providing weekly programming for local youth. They also provide dinner, and we are happy to support them with meals to nourish them while they experience love and fellowship in the evenings.
We also partner with Arbor Circle in Grand Rapids to provide meals for the youth at their temporary housing called The Bridge. We also work with the Susan Mast ALS Foundation to support their meal outreach program. The board and I hope to continue all of these partnerships as well as connect with other families and organizations that have a need for meals.
Our values are serving with dignity, grace, and respect; being mindful that everyone should have access to nutritious food regardless of finances; empowering individuals through education and skill development; and having compassion for those facing a challenging time in life. We seek partnerships that will cultivate those values. I am so grateful to our board members for taking a leap of faith and giving their time to the mission.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
We are still in the early stages of the life of our mission.
While partnerships are getting stronger and more fruitful, we can see that funding will always be a challenge. We know that telling the stories of the people we support is important, but we value the dignity of those we serve and never want to glorify our role.
That does make getting the word out somewhat tricky. We mostly rely on private donations and are currently applying for a few grants. We have a fundraising event on the horizon. We want to continue this work and hope that the community will support and allow us to have an even greater reach.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I began my career after college, far away from the food industry – as a paralegal in a Grand Rapids law firm. I always hoped to transition to making food somehow my full-time job, but I wasn’t sure how that would look since I had no interest in restaurant work. DinnerGirl was born out of this and started as a “side hustle.” DinnerGirl began in my home kitchen about 15 years ago.
I was working part-time as a paralegal but still had dreams of making food my career. I always loved everything about creating meals for my family but noticed a lot of my friends were struggling with the time and ability to do that. I started making extra meals on the weekends and selling them to friends. As soon as others outside of my friend group started asking for the meals, I knew I had to find a different place to run this little “business.”
This was much harder than I thought since most commercial kitchens do not want to rent their space out. I had to put a hold on DinnerGirl until I found a place, but in 2013, we moved to a new home near Pine Ridge Bible Camp in Cedar Springs, and they very generously allowed me to rent their kitchen, and DinnerGirl was back in business! I soon left my paralegal job and committed to DinnerGirl full-time. I am so proud of DinnerGirl and the unique way that allowed me to share my love through food. I am also eternally grateful for the customers who supported that business and trusted me to help feed their families.
My food is not gourmet, but I love creating food that is whole-food-based and far more nutritious than most options. I am always looking for ways to make family-favorite meals healthier but still as delicious as the original. I care very deeply about what my family and I eat each day, and that care has extended to my customers, their families, and now each and every individual we serve through Meals on Mission.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
First, my family has been a constant support through the years. They have allowed me the freedom to change paths many times and have absolutely cheered me on at every turn. My husband has always encouraged me to follow my heart and not worry about the financial aspects of starting businesses and now volunteering my time to start the nonprofit.
That kind of absolute faith has been essential and something I hope every business founder (especially women) could have. My board has also taken a leap of faith and sacrificed so much of their time for the mission. Our president, Jessica Hart, is a super-successful realtor in Grand Rapids and has supported us in many ways. Her drive, ambition, and encouragement are invaluable. Lindsey Hicks is our board secretary and is the Executive Director of the Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce. Another very busy professional who brings so much experience to the table and somehow finds time in her schedule to help grow the mission. Matt Bistayi serves as pastor at Valley Church in Allendale and gives so much of himself to that service. He has a huge heart for the underdogs in our world and I can’t imagine a bigger cheerleader for the mission and for those we serve. Ally Secor (my daughter) is our treasurer and makes time for the mission, though she is away at college pursuing an accounting degree.
Duane Smith has recently joined the board and is bringing with him a foundation in faith and visionary spirit. I am so excited to work with Duane, and his amazing wife Sharon, to help thoughtfully grow the mission and expand our impact. Finally, my parents have shown me what a strong work ethic and a spirit of generosity can do. They are business owners as well and have both worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for employees. They have always put others’ success and well-being before their own, and I am constantly inspired by them.
Contact Info:
- Website: mealsonmission.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mealsonmsn/
Image Credits
Willow Photo & Design
