Despite supply challenges, Spartanburg Soup Kitchen serves hundreds for Thanksgiving

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - While most of you gathered together under one roof to eat dinner with family today---a non-profit in Spartanburg wanted to make sure everyone had a similar experience. Leaving the table with a full belly and a lot of love.

The Spartanburg Soup Kitchen serves hot meals to those in need everyday--Thanksgiving is no exception.

“It overwhelms my heart. But, it also gives me joy to know that we are providing as many meals as we can to make sure that nobody goes hungry” said Lou Sartor, the Soup Kitchen Director.

Serving more than 300 plates---at the table, through to-go boxes and by home delivery. Sartor say’s the number of people who turned out, was even a surprise to her.

“It shows you that people can afford to purchase a turkey, they can’t afford that traditional meal”

Serving that many people isn’t an easy task. It takes hundreds of prep hours, dozens of volunteers and even more donations from the community. days before heating up the oven, the kitchen faced significant supply shortages. Luckily the community quickly stepped in to help.

“Once they knew that we needed the turkeys–people came in with turkeys. They came in with ham, they came in with the cornmeal, everything we have a shortage of, they have come in with it” said Sartor.

Volunteers like retired educator Patty Lanthier decided to give her time after noticing many of her students relied on the soup kitchen’s meals.

“You know that many people need that much help, we need to be paying attention on more days besides Thanksgiving” she said.

So everyday, the kitchen serves up not only a hot meal but a warm welcome.

“That hug sometimes is better than any meal some of our guests can get,” said Sartor.

The soup kitchen is always looking for more volunteers and donations. If you’d like to help out in any way click here.

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