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Good afternoon everyone. We wanted to update you on our Soup Kitchen activities and give you a glimpse of how the operation runs.
When you drop off your donated food items between 1 - 3pm on our Friday of obligation, we transport all of the items at 3pm to the Eliot Church on Summer St. in Lowell where the St. Paul's Soup Kitchen is located. We do not serve any food at St. Andrew's Parish.
Upon arrival to St. Paul's Soup Kitchen, we put all of the casseroles in the oven to warm, slice any bread or desserts, and make the side for a 5pm dinner service. We've been using Lowell Catholic High School students to assist us in serving. We've had 4 students serve each month for the past 2 months.
This summer, we may likely reach out to you to assist us if we don't have the high school students help us. For us, it's important for the younger generation to witness the struggles of others, understand a need to assist, and learn how the process takes place. There is one student in particular that asks more questions and wants to understand the logistics of the Soup Kitchen; it gives me hope that she could potentially be the next adult leader of something like this.
The full time staff ring the dinner bell promptly at 5pm, all individuals partaking in the meal take a seat, we introduce our Parish as the makers of the meal and the LC students as the servers, and everyone files very orderly through our buffet line.
After everyone has been served, seconds are called at 5:30pm.
Many individuals will take to-go containers for themselves or for family/friends that could not make it. If there are any leftovers after everyone has gone through for seconds, St. Paul's has been keeping them for the day program which serves a light luncheon.
We have not had any leftovers of cake and this month, we had no casserole left (that was gobbled up with gusto!)
During our January service, the individuals partaking in the meal were again thrilled that we served cake. Apparently, we are the only group to serve cake during the month so it's a real treat. One individual was celebrating his birthday that day and was so moved to have cake. Also, we received so many compliments on the casserole. One man in particular came through for seconds and we loaded a to-go box for him because he was taking it home to his wife and two children. He said it was giving him chills to know that his family was going to eat so well tonight; that everyone would get dinner.
He then told me that he wished our Parish served dinner more than once a month because it's always so good and filling. We want to share that with you. You fed 102 people that were present at the Soup Kitchen, but you also fed an entire family and many others. The people that come through the line are always thinking of their fellow man that may be on the streets with them and they try to feed them too.
It's a very humbling experience and we thank you for allowing us to continue with Doreen and Bob's legacy. Thank you again for the love you put into preparing and donating items to this incredible ministry.
"Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13)
~Nicole Smay and Renee Rogers -Soup Kitchen Ministry Coordinators
