Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee, has announced a $5,000 Foundation grant to Daniel’s Table in Framingham.

The grant request was supported in a letter from two Framingham eighth graders, Kevin and Jake, who have been Daniel’s Table volunteers since age 12.

“We go every Saturday and make bagged lunches that are given out to people that are homeless in Framingham. We think making lunches is important, but we want to do more,” the boys wrote. They added that they wanted to “help buy a piece of cooking equipment that will increase food production to get more meals to people in need.”

Daniel’s Table Founder/Executive Director David Blais identified the “cooking equipment” as a 40-gallon braising kettle that will enable the non-profit to increase production capacity by 300 meals per day, 9,000 meals per month. The goal, Blais said, is to eventually provide 1,500 meals per day to Framingham citizens facing food insecurity. With food donations from multiple resources including the Greater Boston Food Bank, Wegmans, and Whole Foods, Daniel’s Table prepares and distributes full, healthy meals throughout the community.

“We’d like to thank volunteers Kevin and Jake for prompting us to help Daniel’s Table expand and enhance nourishing food opportunities for all those in need,” said Sousa. “We are pleased to have a role in making that possible.”