Belfast Soup Kitchen sees exponential growth as it serves its community

BELFAST, Maine (WABI) - This Thursday we’re teaming up with Stanley Chevrolet and Stanley Subaru for WABI Kindness Day.

We’re asking for your help supporting three non-profits that make a difference in our community daily.

But first, we want to tell you a little more about these organizations.

We’re starting with the Belfast Soup Kitchen.

The Belfast Soup Kitchen isn’t like a regular soup kitchen. It’s a cool soup kitchen. But now, the organization that serves as a beacon of hope for so many could use some help of its own.

”The Belfast Soup Kitchen is for everyone,” said Cherie Merrill, executive director, Belfast Soup Kitchen. “My philosophy is, is that if somebody shows up here, they’re in need of food, and we want them to feel comfortable coming here and not feel embarrassed about accessing our services.”

At the Belfast Soup Kitchen, it’s not just a warm meal staff and volunteers are serving up: it’s a full helping of dignity, too.

”When people come into the Belfast Soup Kitchen, they are seated like they were in a restaurant and waited on by our dedicated volunteers. So it’s a very enjoyable experience for them,” said Merrill.

”It’s a matter of feeling like you’re doing the right thing. The little bit I do here, it’s good for people. I feel good about it,” said Denise Talbot, a volunteer.

In the past few years, the soup kitchen has hosted special events, such as a 600-pound tuna lunch and a visit from Little Caesars Love Kitchen.

As Merrill and her staff do more good, word keeps getting out and connecting with the people who need their services.

”In the past four years, the Belfast Soup Kitchen has grown tremendously. When I came on in August of 2020, they were doing about 75 meals a day. We’re currently delivering, or passing out, or having people eat inside the dining room, 455 to 500 meals daily,” Merrill said.

”It’s been a lifesaver in a lot of ways. I like coming here for the community. I like the community that works here,” said Michael Holihan, a guest from Swanville.

”I have teenage sons now but when I was younger, if it wasn’t for soup kitchens and places that were able to donate food, then I know that I would’ve struggled personally with my family. So, I feel like it’s important to give back when you receive,” said Crystal Newman, another volunteer.

The growth has been so exponential, the soup kitchen’s new building that opened in 2020 is already bursting at the seams.

But that didn’t stop the team from another major undertaking last spring.

“We Opened the Kindness Community Market last April because we saw the need for people to have food besides meals,” Merrill explained. “We are making it work. We saw the need, and we wanted to meet that need in our community.”

Unlike a typical food pantry, the Kindness Community Market lets shoppers choose their items.

Plus, it’s open five days a week, whereas Merrill says some other Waldo County food resources are only available once or twice a month.

“When we opened the market, we anticipated 100 households a week through the market. We’re serving 250 or more households a week in the market,” Merrill said. “And so, the financial burden on the Belfast Soup Kitchen has been heavy this year, and we are really looking for our community to help us continue to help our community,”

This Thursday, on Kindness Day, the Belfast Soup Kitchen is hoping you’ll help them in their mission.

They’ll gladly accept donations of food - namely cereal, pasta, and macaroni and cheese. But Merrill says a monetary donation will have the biggest impact as they’re able to get about $3 worth of product for every dollar donated.

You can give cash or check, or you can even donate online at belfastsoupkitchen.org/donate.