Mondays can feel like the worst. Zoē Oakland aims to make them better with free food and good vibes. Between games and simple service projects, students leave with full bellies and smiles, feeling better than when they arrived.
One of the most sure-fire ways to lift oneself up is to first lift up another. Zoē Oakland is a Christian organization that provides the means to do so right in the heart of Oakland University. Every Monday from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. in the Lake Erie room of the Oakland Center, the community meets to share a meal and make connections.
“It’s just important to make relationships with other students and to make connections. So it’s good to come out and meet people and feel like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself,” Laura Johnson, Zoē Oakland Program Coordinator, said.
Chartwells caters each Monday meeting, spoiling students with a rotating selection of free food. Meals are always well balanced and range from various pastas to breakfast-for-dinner, all including both meat and vegetarian options.
“I like the dishes, especially the pasta, and I like learning about other people and talking to them,” Khloee Jackson, a nursing major at OU, said.
Each week also hosts a different activity for students to participate in after eating. All are intended to forge that coveted community setting.
Most commonly as of late, the group has hosted after meal trivia style games. Director Eric Johnson also works for Sporkle and as such enjoys hosting games like Opinionation and Music Bingo. Opinionation in particular encourages students to team up and establish bonds with their peers.
Scattered amongst the games, service projects also bolster the after-meal agenda. They range from making gift bags for children in local communities to larger impact projects that affect underprivileged families.
“I love the fleece tie blankets. It’s a really fun craft and it’s meaningful. We give them to the refugee families in southwest Michigan, so that’s my favorite one that we do. Also the trivia games are really fun,” Laura Johnson said, when asked about her favorite project.
While the organization is Christian and does seek to help students learn from and forge a connection with Jesus, there is no religious commitment to the Make-it-through-Monday Meals. Students are welcome to come as they are and take the time to relax in a fun and caring environment.
This month in particular will be a hard one for community members living off of the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The current government shutdown has created uncertainty in receiving food stamps. While there are people working to access emergency funds for SNAP, the promise of a free meal is a welcomed comfort.
Leftover food from the Monday meals is often donated to the food pantry located down the hallway from the Lake Erie room. The food pantry is another important resource to take note of in the current climate.
“We’re happy to be a campus organization now for our third year and this is our second year doing the meals. So we hope to meet more students and it’s been a really fun time for us to do this,” Laura Johnson concluded.
The meals take place every Monday through Nov. 16 and will return in the winter 2026 semester. For more information about Zoē Oakland, visit its website.
