Salvation Army, soup kitchen need help
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 12:08 p.m., November 27, 2007
Updated 12:08 p.m., November 27, 2007
With Christmas right around the corner, organizations like the Abundant Harvest soup kitchen and the Salvation Army are asking for the public’s help.
Julienne Reid, administrative assistant at Abundant Harvest, 1028 Whittier St., said the organization can always use donations. Reid said depending on the weather and whether L-Cat is running, they serve at least 50 people Monday through Thursday. People of all ages come to eat at the kitchen from elderly, children and middle-age.
“We can always take donations,” Reid said. “We always need food.”
Reid said the soup kitchen can take any kind of food including canned goods and other foods. Sometimes it gets food that is leftover from a large catered dinner from an organization, Reid said. Abundant Harvest’s pantry is in need of baking goods such as flour and sugar as well as bread.
“We serve a lot of bread,” she said. “We always need desserts too.”
Abundant Harvest is lucky that many people want to donate to the soup kitchen — but the pantry is still in need of donations.
“It’s really nice,” she said.
The Salvation Army, 327 Constitution St., has many needs as Christmas approaches, said Captain Hope Burris.
“We need our angels picked off the trees,” Burris said. “We need toys and clothes for all the angels that are on the trees.”
The Salvation Army’s national Red Kettle campaign kicked off recently — donations are needed for the kettles too.
“All the money that is raised here, stays here,” Burris said. “It stays here to help the Emporia community.”
The Salvation Army also has a food pantry which is in need of food to fill the Christmas food box, which goes to needy families. About 400 clients were served by this program last year and Burris expects this year to at least match that number. The Christmas boxes contain the foods needed for a Christmas dinner such as green beans, macaroni and cheese and yams.
The Salvation Army’s pantry is in great need of food items such as cereal, Burris said, pointing to empty shelves where cereal should be. Burris said with the prices of automotive fuel and natural gas on the rise, more people are in need of food assistance to get by.
“We’re really low,” she said, of the cereal.
The Salvation Army will take monetary donations as well as food donations.
combatdoc (anonymous) says...
“We’re really low,” she said, of the cereal.
Sounds like a 'cereal' killer to me.
November 27, 2007 at 6:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mythoughts (anonymous) says...
If we can't feed our own people, how can we look ourselves in the mirror each day? Please check your grocery sale papers, and pick up some extras for these two excellent organizations. Reebles has flour for just a dollar and a few cents--one bag could work into 10 meals, I'd think. This time of the year, sugar and butter are always on sale. I've seen several cereals on sale, not to mention oatmeal! Please consider dropping a buck or two on some extra staples and donating to one of the groups. Thank you.
November 27, 2007 at 6:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
One thing I've learned about Emporia is that her people are extremely generous. Let's think about buying a few extras like flour and sugar and cereal the next time we go grocery shopping. And yams! Have you seen those giant beauties at Reebles? One would feed a family! Let's all help our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than we are.
November 27, 2007 at 7:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
siamesefred (anonymous) says...
Back before my budget tightened too much, I ran across a man holding a sign he'd work for food. I didn't have any work for him at my house (and was a bit uncomfortable about that), but I decided to take him grocery shopping with me.
He told me about his family, which included two young children. He was very hesitant to ask for things, but I kept coaxing, thinking of the kinds of groceries I bought for my children. By the time we were done, we had diapers, baby food, and other staples for the whole family.
I ended up spending on his family the same as I'd spend on my own for a week's shopping trip. At the time, I could afford it and it made me feel as if I was repaying the people who'd helped me in the past (kind of like "paying it forward").
I know not everyone can double their grocery bill on a moment's notice, but it's true that most of us can find an extra $1, $5 or $10 to throw some items in the cart for the food pantry or soup kitchen.
November 28, 2007 at 6:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )