By Nick Werner and Dottie Kreps—
MUNCIE, IN—The Soup Kitchen of Muncie is celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2024. For thirty years the Soup Kitchen has been a place where our neighbors in need can come and receive a hot meal and a sack lunch. The Soup Kitchen wants to invite you to get involved by participating in their Third Annual ’40 Days of Giving’ Food Drive. The 40 Days of Giving event is based around Lent to offer everyone a guilt-free alternative to the tradition of abstaining from something you love for the next 40 days.
Instead of giving something up, the Soup Kitchen of Muncie is asking you to give something away during its 40 Days of Giving Food Drive, Feb. 14 to March 30.
You can participate in the daily food drive as an individual, but the Soup Kitchen also encourages you to make this an activity for a group such as a book club, with coworkers, at church, or a youth group. The Soup Kitchen is accepting not only food donations but monetary donations as well to the Soup Kitchen of Muncie (SKOM), according to the Food Drive co-chair Dottie Kreps.
Generosity and sacrifice are universal values that unite everyone regardless of their faith or culture, and all are invited to participate, regardless of whether you observe Lent or not.
There are people in our community who depend on the Soup Kitchen. Over the last year the organization saw an increase in the number of people they serve reach a record of over 80,000 guests, according to Executive Director Loretta Parsons. That is up from their average of the past several years of around 62,000. Donations during this food drive can help make certain that soup kitchen guests receive a hot meal each day.
“If there is any way you can spare one item each day for 40 days, that would benefit the Soup Kitchen , whether it is from our wish list or a monetary donation, we would appreciate your efforts,” Parsons said.
How to Participate
There are three ways to participate:
- Collect items from the Wish List. Set up a donation box in your home, office or place of worship. Add one item to the wish list per day for the 40 days. Deliver the items during designated drop off times at the end of Lent.
- Order from the Soup Kitchen’s Amazon Wish List.
- Pledge a daily donation. Pledge a dollar amount each day for 40 days. Any amount is appreciated! Submit online at soupkitchenofmuncie.org/donate, or write a check payable to the Soup Kitchen of Muncie, P.O Box 68, Muncie IN, 47308.
Wish List
The wish list is as follows: individual packaged snacks (crackers, chips, cookies, nuts, granola bars, trail mix); applesauce or fruit cups; pudding or Jello cups; gift cards to local grocery stores; dry pasta (egg noodles, macaroni or spaghetti); spaghetti sauce; cans of green beans, peas, corn, or mixed veggies; cans of tuna, chicken, beef, or pork; tuna pouches; napkins; paper lunch bags.
Designated Drop-Off Times
- Thursday March 28: 1 to 4 p.m, at the Soup Kitchen of Muncie, 920 E. Charles St.
- Saturday, March 30: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Soup Kitchen of Muncie, 920 E. Charles St.
About the Soup Kitchen of Muncie: The Soup Kitchen of Muncie is a non-profit, non-sectarian soup kitchen that serves those in need of food in Muncie, Indiana and the Delaware County Community. It serves all who are hungry with dignity and respect. Guests receive a hot meal and also a sack dinner.
It serves meals Monday through Friday 9:30 to 11 a.m.
