CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Rallying to help the hungry, local church groups and organizations are doing all they can to help Manna Meal as its kitchen gets a fully functional makeover.

Feeding the hungry one plate at a time, the youth group at St. Matthews Episcopal Church spent hours in their kitchen making spaghetti sauce, boiling pasta and slicing garlic bread to serve the needy.

"It's very humbling and honoring to be able to help somebody who doesn't or can't afford to eat," youth group member Grace Moore said.

The youth group recently raised more than $600 to donate to the local soup kitchen.

Members trucked the hot food over to Manna Meal and spent Sunday caring for those in need.

"Once you come and see all the smiles on people's faces that go through the line it's just really rewarding," youth group member Perry McGhee said. "These are people just like us and they do really want the help and need the help and to see everyone like helping them is a great thing to see."

It's that community effort needed to keep meals going as the nonprofit [Manna Meal] undergoes big changes in its 1930s kitchen, now completely gutted.

Dish washing, food preparation and extra pantry storage currently happens next door at the Covenant House.

"It's amazing that the community of Charleston can pull together and help people," Manna Meal Executive Director Jean Simpson said. "When Manna Meal started they had no idea really what they were creating and it started pretty much with handing one peanut butter and jelly sandwich to a guy and it caught on."

Manna Meal's new kitchen should be finished by the middle of the summer.

Its director says the new kitchen will be more practical and well organized, allowing the volunteers to work more efficiently.

Breakfast and lunch is served everyday at Manna Meal and about twelve groups are filling the void to make sure no one goes hungry while the kitchen is renovated.

For many volunteers and youth, it's a chance to learn valuable life-lessons.

"Most of our youth come from privileged backgrounds so for them to be able to get in and see this and act on a personal level it's a real eye-opener for many of them," St. Matthews Youth Director Lucy Templeton said. "It just really brings the two walls together."

Many groups volunteering aren't allowing any walls to stand in their way of helping others.

Manna meal serves roughly 300 people everyday.