For $30, Muskogee father Kelly Field can feed his family strip steak, chicken breasts, vegetables, rice and other food items for a full week.

“If we went to the grocery store and bought this much, it would cost $60 and up, or if we went to Albertson’s, we’d spend $75,” Field said, referring to a supermarket that used to be in Muskogee. “We save at least 50 percent.”

Field, who has a wife and 4-year-old daughter, is one of a growing number of area residents taking advantage of the Angel Food Ministries, a nationwide program dedicated to helping families buy quality food at a low prices. A growing number of area churches also are participating by taking orders the second week of each month and delivering the food the following Saturday.

Participating churches are taking orders this week for food boxes to be delivered April 18.

Church Central Assembly of God, 1801 Baltimore St., began taking Angel Food orders in March. The church will take April orders from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and Saturday.

“This is just a way to supplement a person’s food budget,” said Norma Ledington, director of Church Central’s Angel Food program. “Obviously people want to save money, especially today.”

According to the Angel Food Web site, the program began in 1994, when pastors Joe and Linda Wingo served 34 families affected by industrial plant closings around Monroe, Ga. The ministry serves more than 500,000 families in 35 states.

Each monthly menu is different and consists of fresh, frozen and packaged food purchased from top food suppliers. The April menu includes 1.5 pounds of New York strip steak, two pounds of boneless chicken breasts, one pound of steak fajita strips, one pound of mixed vegetables, 16 individually-wrapped cheese slices and a dozen eggs.

Boxes of prepared food also are available for seniors, and other boxes are available for people on special diets.

Ledington said Church Central got involved with the program so people can get their food at a central location. She said other churches in far west and far south Muskogee have offered the program longer than her church.

Field coordinates the program for New Hope Assembly of God, 118 W. 58th St. S., south of Muskogee.

New Hope Pastor John Overton said the church takes about 150 to 175 orders a month.

Field said the church is serving significantly more people than in the past.

“Gauging from the number of new people, we get about 10 percent new people each month, Field said.

Dane Yandell, youth minister at Stidham Baptist Church south of Eufaula, said he gets two or three calls a day about the Angel Food program through his church. He said he hardly ever got calls about the program before.