Some may say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but Beverly Hills United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church of Birmingham are looking to provide just that for students from Groves and Seaholm high schools.

Every Tuesday, the two churches team up to host lunch for Birmingham students who are able to go off campus for their noon meals. According to Rev. David Huseltine, leader of the Beverly Hills United Methodist Church located right across the street from Groves High School, the lunch offers a safe place for students to gather, socialize and take a break from school.

“We fill a physical hunger, but also recognize in people that there is a spiritual hunger,” Huseltine said.

The idea for the program—known as Hungry?—started a year and a half ago, Huseltine said, with around 20 kids showing up for a lunch on a monthly basis. As the program blossomed, Huseltine and Rev. Chad Oyer of First United Methodist Church of Birmingham decided that it would be better if students made coming to the church part of their routine.

The program turned weekly after that and so far, it’s proved popular for the little less than 200 students who show up on a weekly basis.

“It is really good food and it’s a great price—free,” said Seaholm junior David Hodgson, who said he’s been attending the lunches for about a year.

The menu changes every week, with Mexican food, hot sandwiches, cold sandwiches and the ever-popular pancake day.

“It has been good, we’ve got a lot more kids than (Oyer) sold me on,” Mike Bouque, Hungry? chef and Troy resident, said. “Kids especially love the chocolate chip pancakes.”

The program is made possible through volunteers, Huseltine said, grants and donations from church patrons and community members. Oyer said there’s no catch to eating lunch at the church, though some people find that hard to believe. Most kids, he said, just show up for the free food and to socialize, but that's OK.

“The beauty of this is that if they’re going to go off campus anyway, they can all come together here,” Oyer said. “It brings not just Groves and this church together, but it brings Seaholm and Groves together as well, and that’s a mix I don’t think you’ll see elsewhere at lunch.”

According to Oyer, around 60 percent of students are from Groves—understandable considering its close proximity—while 40 percent are from Seaholm.

Hodgson and Seaholm senior Spencer Ray, who have been coming to Hungry? for more than a year, think that the program has stuck true to its word and has no expectations of student attendees.

“I think they are very authentic and truly do love kids,” Hodgson said.

Ray agreed. “They are really a group of down to Earth people, and the environment is totally casual,” Ray said.

Seaholm junior Jacob Abbo was eating his first free lunch at the church and said he was having a good time so far.

“A lot of my friends have been telling me about it,” Abbo said. “I think it’s awesome, I love the food. I plan on coming every Tuesday.”

Groves junior Asia Anderson started attending the church lunches in November. She heard about the program from other students and from spotting classmates sporting the program's T-shirts, which are handed out to newcomers.

“I think they are really nice to do this and spend so much money on it weekly,” Anderson said.

Both Hodgson and Ray look forward to their weekly Tuesday routine.

“It’s just a great place to be, a great place to spend our Tuesdays,” Ray said.