Tamworth's Cornerstone Church kitchen in desperate need of more funding

The service, run by the Cornerstone Church, has been a staple of the Coledale community for over 13 years, offering at least one free meal a week to residents, mostly children, on Tuesday evenings.

While chef Jenny Hatch is a magician in the kitchen, funds are at such a critical low that the kitchen may have to close their doors within weeks.

Every week Mrs Hatch can turn $175 into 90 two-course meals, however as the numbers of hungry mouths grow the bank balance has shrunk.

Church minister Glenn Maybury said that the organisation began because founder Susan Bissett realised "that some locals were going to bed and going to school without some meals - we wanted to meet that need at least one day a week."

While the kitchen gets a lot of help from the Liberty Food Bank and some other organisations "funding and donations tends to be spasmodic."

"We have got the kitchen, we have got the facility, we have mostly got the staff, we have got the motivation, but we just don't have the food," Mr Maybury said.

"It would be a real shame if we have to shut the doors, but if it doesn't drop out of heaven the funding will come from somewhere, we just need some help - we only need $150-$175 a week."

Each Tuesday volunteers arrive at the Coledale Community Centre early to set the tables up, almost like a restaurant setting, before Jenny and her son Mathew get to work.

Some of the favourites are fish, chips and coleslaw, honey chilli chicken stir fry and pasta bakes, and every meal comes with a dessert.

Unfortunately the service sees more children than adults come through the door most weeks.

"We have a rule that you have to finish your meal before you get dessert - most nights that is like pulling teeth, but we mostly get it done," Mr Maybury said.

"A few years ago we were the reason that the Community Centre stayed open - even if we do have to close for a few months we want to make sure that when we open again it will be for a long time, not just a few weeks."

The organisation is in the process of looking at avenues for government funding, and are also looking to start up a Facebook and GoFundMe platform.

Anyone interested in donating either time, food or money can contact Mr Maybury on 0477 393 610.