Godworks is starting up a new soup kitchen on the west side of Monroe. On Thursday, June 25, the first meal will be served at I Am Church at 790 Patterson Drive.
The church was inspired to start the kitchen when members found people going through the garbage looking for food. The kitchen’s manager, Gayle Bartolo, has been working for a year to open it, including taking management classes at Monroe County Community College and getting approval from the county.
According to Bartolo, there haven’t been any soup kitchens on the west side of Monroe until now. The one at I Am Church is particularly looking to serve two nearby mobile home parks, which she says are generally low income and could use the help of a free meal.
“And we wanted to serve that community, those who don’t have vehicles, or don’t have means to get to the other soup kitchens, they could ride a bike or walk,” she said.
Anything that hasn’t been eaten by the end of the evening is donated to local shelters, so nothing goes to waste.
For now, the soup kitchen will be open on the fourth Thursday of every month as they gauge how much need there is and how many people will show up.
“We see them and we see their needs, and we want to help them feel loved,” Bartolo said.
Doors open at 5:15 p.m., with dinner served from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and doors closing at 7 p.m. Anyone looking to volunteer can show up to the church, and anybody looking to donate can either donate at the kitchen or online at visitiam.com.
The kitchen is funded in by the church and Godworks, which reimburses the church, according to Bartolo.
— Contact reporter Connor Veenstra at CVeenstra@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Godworks opening new soup kitchen on the west side of Monroe
Reporting by Connor Veenstra, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
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By Connor Veenstra, The Monroe News | USA TODAY Network
