The Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center opened in 1984 in the Church of the Redeemer in Morristown.  On their opening day, they served soup and sandwiches to 8 homeless men. Today they serve a complete meal to 125-325 guests per day. These numbers greatly depend on the season and the work available to guests at the time. The Community Soup Kitchen’s guests are made up veterans, the elderly, the disabled, the homeless, and children.  Two thirds of the guests that attend the soup kitchen are considered a part of the working poor, meaning that although they are employed, the money they are earning is not enough to get by. With the current state of the economy, the numbers of working poor have increased greatly, keeping the workers at the soup kitchen busy.

The soup kitchen has 4 full time employees and 7 part-time employees. Because of their small staff, the soup kitchen is very dependent on the work of its’ volunteers. Roughly 2000 people a year volunteer at the soup kitchen, working on the serving line, in the kitchen, the bi-weekly Healthy Choices Market, or doing pantry transfers. To begin volunteering there, the soup kitchen runs a mandatory New Volunteer Orientation to better prepare its volunteers to work effectively. Volunteers must be 18 years old to work in the kitchen, but those interested in other jobs only have to be 12.

The kitchen not only provides a meal for their guests, but it also offers many services as they believe it is important to help the guests stand on their own two feet and someday no longer be dependant on their help. They provide substance abuse outreach, and mental health and employment counseling with the help of employed social workers. These services create a safe environment where no questions are asked for anyone who needs their help.

One of the soup kitchen’s most popular programs is their Healthy Choices Market. The market is open right after the serving line closes on Mondays and Fridays and remains open till one. Providing fresh produce to upwards of 100 people, the market “rescues” fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Healthy eating is expensive and the free market is a great aid to families in need.

As the Community Soup Kitchen does not receive government funding, the recent government shut down will not affect them in the long run. However, the program they run for women, infants and children is government funded. This means that families that would normally be receiving money to purchase diapers and baby formula will be in great need of these products until the government is up and running again.

For more information on volunteering on donating to the kitchen, visit their website at http://www.cskmorristown.org/