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Community is Made Stronger

I wish to say thank you on behalf of The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries and those we serve for your readers’ amazing generosity. The Soup Kitchens began in 1989 and our mission is to provide food and fellowship to those in need and educate our community about hunger and poverty. Our mission is only possible because of the more than 900 regular volunteers who donate their time and talent at our meal sites, pantries, and heat-n-eat programs—volunteers who all arrive at the very moment we need them, every time! And I thank our host site faith communities that give so generously of their spaces to support feeding those in need.

I thank the many people who donate food and/or funds. We use almost 90 cents of every dollar donated on the program—we can provide a meal’s worth of food for 39 cents because we work so hard to gather food in a way that is most economical. And by fully utilizing volunteers and donated space, we again keep our costs low.

I am thankful to know and see that we operate in a community that absolutely believes that feeding our neighbors is a critical priority. Not only do our communities believe this, they make it happen.

I am humbled and grateful that our supporters entrust us to steward their funds, food, and time in order to respond to the unprecedented needs of those along the shoreline. Together, the fabric of our community is made stronger because all those in need of food and fellowship have a place to turn.

I want to say thank you for every donation, every volunteer moment, and every supportive gesture—all are needed and appreciated very much. All together, with each of us doing our part we make the whole possible.

Patricia M. Dowling, Executive Director

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries