After spending the last year serving hearty soups for breakfast at Our Place on Pandora Street, the Soup Kitchen is celebrating its return home with a donation to its hosts of $5,000.
The Soup Kitchen, formally known as the 9-10 Club, has been running a daily soup kitchen out of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral for 32 years, but had to move out last year when the cathedral began extensive renovations. Rather than stop service, the Soup Kitchen volunteers approached Our Place and a unique partnership was formed.
“Our Place came to our rescue,” says Richard Marshall, chair of the soup kitchen’s board.
“The mission offered us free use of the dining hall – and the reception from staff was incredible. We didn’t know what to expect when we first arrived, but it far exceeded any expectations we had.”
Adds Don Evans, executive director of Our Place: “It really was our pleasure.
“Anything that benefits the most vulnerable citizens of our community has our support. With a little bit of shuffling over the last 13 months, we were happy to help The Soup Kitchen and its guests find a home at Our Place.”
To thank Our Place for its generosity, the Soup Kitchen board has donated $5,000 toward a new bussing station in the dining hall at Our Place.
“A bussing station will make life much easier for all concerned,” says Marshall. “Hopefully this donation will help kick-start funding for this project’s early completion.”
Total cost of the bussing station will be $15,000, and donations can be made at www.ourplacesociety.com or by phone at 250-388-7112.
The Soup Kitchen operates from 8:30 to 10 a.m., Monday through Friday at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, 740 View St. Donations can be made to The 9-10 Club Serving Soup to the Hungry.