By Dottie Kreps, Soup Kitchen of Muncie board member—
MUNCIE, Ind.—For over 25 years the Soup Kitchen of Muncie has been serving those in need of a meal in our community. Now you have a chance to support the Soup Kitchen and enjoy an evening out. On August 28th the Annual Soup Kitchen Dinner and Auction will take place at the Horizon Convention Center. Cocktails will start at 5pm and dinner will be served at 6pm.
Volunteers work with the staff to prepare hot, nutritious meals and sack lunches to hand out to anyone who comes to the Soup Kitchen, providing over 70,000 meals every year. In 2020 the pandemic caused a slight interruption in service. We had to adapt the way we operated by serving meals as a carry-out only and keeping volunteers to a minimum to ensure everyone’s safety, but we continued to serve. Now teams of three come in the afternoon to prepare food for the next morning and the morning volunteer teams come in at 7AM to cook the food and set up the tent outside the Soup Kitchen to hand out that day’s meals.
Soup kitchens can be found all over the United States and have a long history providing needed services to their communities. During the pandemic the Soup Kitchen of Muncie has served new guests, some who have lost a job or been forced to reduce their hours and we continue to see the elderly, single parents, people with disabilities, the working poor, and families. Everyone has different circumstances that have led them to need the Soup Kitchen’s services but we strive to treat each person with the same respect and compassion.
The Soup Kitchen of Muncie relies on the generosity of the people in our community- donors, sponsors, staff, volunteers, local farmers and produce vendors. From their donations of time, supplies, food or money, each contribution is greatly appreciated. Throughout the year we are also able to provide each of our guests a sack filled with other essential items, in addition to the lunches. There is always someone or some organizaton willing to step up to support the Soup Kitchen, ensuring that we can continue feeding those that need it most.
In the 11 years that have passed since we started our annual dinners, we have added a live art auction (artwork is created by local artists and artisans), entertainment, a cake auction(all made by local bakers/bakeries/cake shops), and a silent auction. Our fundraising goal is $100,000 and we can’t do it without you! Help us continue serving all who are hungry with dignity and respect.
For more information about tickets visit soupkitchenofmuncie.org
The Soup Kitchen of Muncie is a non-profit, non-sectarian soup kitchen.
