photo by: Nick Krug

A volunteer server lays a piece of buttered bread onto a tray during lunch at the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen (LINK), Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012.

Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen is making what its board chairman called a “significant” change to cut costs and improve efficiency of its four-day-per-week program to feed the hungry.

The organization, known as LINK, cut its part-time coordinator position, which was staffed by Greg Moore for the past eight years, chairman Wendi Meisenheimer said. LINK is instead contracting with the Lawrence Salvation Army to have its current coordinator also arrange LINK’s meals, which will continue to be served at First Christian Church in downtown Lawrence.

Meisenheimer announced the change to participating churches and other organizations Wednesday. The move will save LINK $100 to $200 per month, she said. The total amount spent on payroll in fiscal year 2014 was $20,315, according to the group’s latest annual report.

Salvation Army and LINK will continue to offer free meals to the public on opposite days: LINK serves meals from 1 to 2 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at First Christian Church, 221 W. 10th St., and Salvation Army serves from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at its 946 New Hampshire St. location.

“We already work together providing the meals,” Meisenhemier said. “This is just an opportunity to collaborate a little bit better because we’ll have the same person at both sites.”

Through LINK, church and civic groups use the space but bring their own food and volunteer servers. That concept will remain the same, Meisenhemier said.

LINK’s contract with Salvation Army will change Salvation Army’s coordinator position from part time to full time and include benefits.

According to its annual report, LINK, which has operated in Lawrence since 1985, served 22,612 guests in fiscal year 2014, which ran from July 2014 to June 2015.

The peak in the past 10 years was fiscal year 2006, when 30,273 guests were served.

Meisenheimer said attendance dropped off slightly — but leveled out — after the Lawrence Community Shelter moved to its new location in eastern Lawrence in 2012 and began serving lunch. The shelter had been located near LINK at 10th and Kentucky streets.

Guests served by LINK in fiscal year 2011 totaled 26,648, according to the report. In fiscal year 2012, there were 23,218 guests and 23,710 in 2013.