That is sweet, Robo. Our church raises funds for a school for low income children with a golf tournament. Honestly, I can't think of any church fund raisers.

The Junior League used to host a pancake breakfast at the firehouse for a burn center. There were a lot of strawberries to hull- the attraction was more about playing around all the equipment for the children, rather than food. My children's school has an elaborated tasting menu at the end of year fair/kermesse. Every year there is a different country theme. I made 100 pounds of braised Moroccan lamb once- I was up until 4 am for that joy.

We have pot luck fund raisers at our church for various causes or just for get togethers. Since this is MN, there are always a large variety of hotdishes and bars! Meatballs in crock pots are equally ubiquitous. Veggie, cheese/cracker, and fruit trays. Lefse. Etc.

Our church doesn't have any fund-raising dinners and I think we should. Pancake breakfasts, we have in abundance.

We have a wonderful kitchen and lots of good cooks. Every Sunday morning about 150 mostly homeless people are given a sit-down breakfast and a sack lunch to take with them.

We do a lot of parish potlucks, everything under the sun shows up. Mexican, lasagna, vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan offerings. For big events we'll have something like beef bourguignon served, not buffet style.

Back when we lived in California, a local synagogue would have a deli lunch once a year. Choice of pastrami or corned beef on rye (imported from New York!) plus slaw and a pickle and a slice of cake for $12. Plus a bake sale. I read in the paper that they sold more than 800 sandwiches in one day. We really looked forward to that, we could split one sandwich, they were so thick!

OMG the synagogues in my area are total slackers. I am so jealous, sushi.

Oh, man, hhireno, you brought me back to my old job in Dallas where we'd take our lunch break at the Greek Orthodox food fair. Meal, shopping, the bosses didn't mind our taking an extra half-hour...they went, too lol.

I haven't seen a take-out fundraiser, that's a great idea! Sometimes I feel uncomfortable at a fundraiser where it seems like most attendees are connectd to the organization, and sometimes people are just too busy toting kids around to spend an evening, but I'd absolutely order and pick up a to-go!

Rita, your school fundraiser sounds way too intense for me! I’d be the one wondering where I could just write a check. I would love to play around a firehouse though!

Emory, I had to Google hotdish and lefse, so interesting!

hhireno, your comment made me laugh out loud. Our greekfest here is super popular and we have two competing Lebanese festivals (two rival Maronite churches) with equally delicious fare.

The Greek event is a huge fundraiser. Crass as it is, I’d love to know what they raise. It is busy for all 4 days (both spring and fall) with office workers from who-knows-where (the church is not near any businesses or industrial parks) during lunch, long lines all evening for dinner. The Russians appear to do very well also, their event is only 3 days in fall and one day in December. Both offer meals to go, or stay, from simple sandwiches to full dinners.

Friday night fish fries during Lent, Spaghetti suppers are still big other times of the year. The yearly church picnic has some of the best barbecue (ribs, chicken, pork with all the fixins) around.

If you're talking fundraisers . . .

The Catholic Church does Friday fish fries during lent -- fish, French fries, baked potato, green beans, coleslaw, spaghetti, tea or coffee and church lady desserts -- $5 if you get it to go or free will offering if you eat in

Our Lutheran Church does a Oktoberfest for $10 you get bierock, bratwurst, reuben casserole, German potato salad, German green beans, sauerkraut and church lady pies

Martha

Bunnyfoof, the weekly breakfast sounds wonderful and like a huge endeavour for your church. The dinners here are cafeteria style (is that a style) where you line up and nice older ladies and gents plop food on a plate for you.

sushi, that sounds amazing! One of the things I miss about Montreal is the Jewish deli food. One finally opened up here and I exclusively go for the matzoh ball soup.

Bpathome, I like sitting down as I find people are either friendly or keep well to themselves but to go is a great option with a baby! Most of the baked bean suppers around here are to go, Pre-packed in a brown paper bag.

Em gnawing on a piece of roast beef

We have “bean supper” which of course has baked beans. But there is typically also lots of different salads, pot pies, home baked bread and pies and crisps for dessert.

Rita come to Asheville and go to the HardLox festival with me! http://www.hardloxjewishfestival.org/

Robo my SIL's church does a spaghetti dinner fundraiser every year and then sell jars of sauce. All volunteers cook the sauce at home from the same recipe.

DLM, I'm in! (Really, I'm gonna try, because while we have good bagels in SF there is no pastrami! And I love klezmer music.)

Funny talking about church suppers and I am coming on to say I love klezmer as well.

Rita, you should come across the Bay to Saul's Restaurant and Deli in Berkeley. No klezmer music as far as I know, but they have house-smoked pastrami.

My daughter's elementary school used to do a spaghetti feed. It was more of a community event than a fundraiser, as they only charged $2 a head (this was only 3 years ago, so I'm not talking the distant past). They did have a raffle and one year a silent auction.

I will get myself to Saul's asap. Thank you, cawaps!

I don't know church suppers, but my new town hosts periodic Sunday pancake breakfasts to support the annual town country fair. They make plain, blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes to order, serving real maple syrup (this is New England) and/or butter. You also get sausage and/or bacon - the bacon is cooked the night before but re-heated on a grill top. $8 suggested donation. Excellent!

They also have pasta suppers to benefit the needy, or to collect money to support families after a breadwinner passes. I haven't been to one of those, but I understand it is a choice of vegetarian or a bit of ground beef tomato sauce, probably with a tossed salad, and likely some bread. Starch and starch. (This one is frankly, a meal I'd rather donate direct to, rather than eat.)

DLM, I'd love to attend that HardLox festival too! And count me as a fan of klezmer music as well.

I loved the Greek church festivals when I'd attend... stuffed grape leaves, spanakopita, often something with lamb. I will have to see if there are any such festivals near my new location in MA.

My own religious group hasn't done fund raising suppers … not enough of us in proximity to one another. But we've brought bags of food to events to donate to shelters/food banks. I do know a group who volunteers to cook a dinner meal 3 or 4 times a year at a shelter in Shelton, CT, but that is too far away from me. (The meals vary by season.)

Bbq pork and occasionally brisket, reigns here. The typical sides. Other than that, hmmm, more bbq, maybe smoked chicken.

From what I've seen in the area, church dinners are infrequent and very specific... e.g., one church has an Easter Ham dinner, another has a chicken & biscuits dinner in autumn, etc., but Fire Dept and other local fundraiser dinners seem to always be Spaghetti or Chicken BBQ, and during lent nearly all of the local volunteer FDs and Legions host a Friday night Fish Fry!

Our absolute family favorite is the annual family-style roast pork dinner and play that benefits a very small local historical society. The evening begins when you are given your assigned seat and told to go select your dessert from two large tables that are covered with pre-cut homemade pies of all kinds. Dinner is all homemade: roast pork, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, squash, applesauce, and various rolls and sweet breads. Dinner is followed by a play written by them -- always informative with lots of laughter and fun. :)

Our local churches usually have pork/sauerkraut dinners during the winter months. But, without a doubt, the most popular are chicken and waffles dinners. If you ask most locals what their favorite comfort food is they are most likely to say ' chicken and waffles"! Just typing this has made me sooo hungry!!

I’ve never had chicken and waffles but I’d like to start!

I would love if people around here started getting REALLY into BBQ. I don't know why it isn't more popular in northern climes!

Northerner here. Never even heard of chicken and waffles. But I like chicken, and I like waffles, so it sounds like a winner!