For the 2nd year in a row, Feed’em Soup Community Project will serve a meal Thanksgiving eve free of charge to the community. The group has been serving meals for over a year and is planning for record numbers at this years Thanksgiving Eve meal. The 2010 Thanksgiving eve meal fed 150 people for the first time, and this year Feed’em Soup staff is planning for upwards of 200 guests.
Since the first meal, attendance has more than tripled at the free community meals. Feed’em Soup staff stresses that need is a broad term and not just for the economically disadvantaged. “Some people come to us to socialize and get out of their homes for the evening” said President Randi Kennedy. “We also get a lot of people that just love the concept of Feed’em Soup and come to support us.” The meals are completely open to the public and donation baskets are available for supporters who can afford to donate and cover the cost of food, but no one is ever asked to pay for any services.
The group takes the term soup kitchen to a different level. While the concept is simple, the approach is atypical. Guests are waited on restaurant style rather than having to stand in a cafeteria line. Everyone is waited on as if they are a paying customer and meals often feature live music to entertain the guests. The kitchen staff prepares meals fresh and the menu changes each meal. While soup is a staple, the menu varies greatly from soup, to spaghetti or pancakes.
In addition to a warm home cooked meal, the group also offers a food pantry, clothing closet and a program for children. The newest addition to the groups services is the children’s program which is run by Dekalb Public School teacher Dawn Marx and focuses on literacy. Each meal is themed with the November 23rd meal being centered around giving thanks. Children will enjoy a story and a craft guided by Feed’em Soup Staff during meal hours.
Feed’em Soup is quickly becoming a household name across Dekalb County, it’s this different approach to a simple idea that has helped this organization flourish in tough economic times. “We’ve been really surprised with the amount of demand we’ve seen. We knew it was needed, but we were completely surprised by how much it was needed.” Marketing and Brand director Derek Gibbs said. “It’s been hard work, but the community has been amazing with their support. We’ve never had to turn anyone away and for that we’re truly grateful.”
While Feed’em Soup staff is often credited with inspiring a younger generation to get involved in their community the group has put much effort into marketing themselves in a fresh way to attract a younger audience. “We had a simple concept that we wanted to make incredibly different” Gibbs said. “We wanted our marketing to reflect that. We want to show we’re simple, yet outside the box.”
Feed’em Soup Community Project began in early 2010 as a concept generated by a group of local young adults one night after a beer at a local establishment and has grown into being a major non-profit in Dekalb County. The group strategized for 9 months before serving their first meal in a borrowed kitchen at The First Lutheran Church of Dekalb in September of 2010. The Group now rents its own 1800 square foot kitchen in the heart of downtown DeKalb and recently was a recipient of a brand new 2012 Toyota Sienna in the Toyota 100 Cars for Good Program. The meal on November 23rd will be the groups 30th meal.
Public and press are welcome to attend:
What: Thanksgiving Eve Dinner
When: Wednesday November 23rd, Doors open at 4:30pm, Dinner from 5pm to 7pm
Where: 122 South First Street, Dekalb
Menu: Turkey provided courtesy of HoKa Turkey Farm, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, Salad, Dinner Roll and Dessert
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