Albany Pastor spreads free lunch to 3 cities

Another July has come and like clockwork Pastor Charlie Muller is out at an Albany park giving out free lunches to needy children who might be hungry.

But this year the Victory Christian Church Pastor,known for his successful gun buy back program,has spread his free lunch program like a Pied Piper,bringing the program to Troy and Cohoes as well.

We were there as Pastor Charlie and his team of volunteers pulled up in a rented U-Haul van to the Lansing Pool on the first day it was opened for the season.  The Pastor shouted to kids near and far beckoning them to come and grab a free sandwic, a drink, a piece of fruit or a dessert.

One Mother,impressed with the free lunch program, said there was a need adding "I see kids that are hungry who come around asking people for food money...because they're not getting it at home".

After half an hour the van was on the road to North Troy where outside an inner city church Pastor Charlie once again bellowed on street corners urging the young people to take advantage of the free lunch.

Muller said "I don't want to miss any of these kids, there is a need and i want to fill it, that's my heart"  The Pastor hopes as he builds the program it becomes a prototype that other organizations grab hold of.

The Church's free lunch operation could feed as many as 2,000 kids a day this summer according to Pastor Charlie but it will cost an additional $20,000.

Cohoes Mayor John McDonald said while there are free lunches offered at city schools through the summer Pastor Charlie's program can still make a difference "no doubt about it".