Frequently Asked Questions
Who eats at the Soup Kitchen?
Anywhere from 80 to 180 guests are served every day, 365 days a year. About one-third of our guests are homeless, some with mental illness or substance abuse problems. But the majority are the working poor, elderly and disabled—people who cannot stretch their budgets to cover the high costs of housing, transportation, and health care and still afford to eat adequately.
Where does the food come from and who serves it?
Volunteer teams from our member congregations supply, cook and serve the
meals. The Soup Kitchen also receives many generous donations of food from
local restaurants, stores, community groups and individuals. Our congregations
are assisted by volunteers from the community, students, and corporate teams.
What services does the Soup Kitchen provide?
- A hot, nutritious
noon-time meal Soup, entrée, vegetables, salad, fruit, bread dessert,
juice, milk and coffee, are served in a welcoming and safe environment.
Sandwiches are available to take home.
- Nursing care
and consultation An arrangement with the Visiting Nurse Association offers
guests medical guidance and advocacy.
- Mental health
care The Mental Health Association of Morris County provides two social
workers to help people with mental and emotional illnesses.
- Housing and
daily living assistance A social worker helps guests find program assistance
for housing, employment, addiction, transportation, education and other
needs.
- Warm clothes
We collect blankets, sleeping bags, coats, hats, gloves, socks, shoes, and
toiletries for people living on the street, or close to it.
- Outreach
to the immigrant community A Spanish language interpreter circulates in
the dining room to help recent immigrants.
- Community service opportunities Hundreds of children, youth and adults learn about the needs of the less fortunate and experience the rewards of helping others.
How is the Soup Kitchen funded?
The Community Soup Kitchen is a non-profit tax-exempt organization that receives no government funding for operational expenses and is not a United Way agency. We depend upon donations from individuals, congregations and corporations. Each year the Soup Kitchen conducts two fundraising events: The Share the Bounty benefit dinner-dance, and the Hunger Walk. We have made a commitment not to solicit individuals by direct mail or telephone.
