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Date: 10/30/2015
CHICOPEE – Andrea Marion readily admits her two and half years with Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen has been a “whirlwind.”
Marion started with the charity as a development coordinator, then as director of development, then the assistant executive director and started this month as the executive director.
She replaces Michael Chunyk, who has stepped down to work with clients as a psychotherapist at a community clinic. He will be staying with the organization to provide public relations and development support.
“I am excited to continue the work we started and continue the mission of Lorraine’s,” Marion said. “There is more work to do, and I am thankful to have this opportunity to partner with donors and organizations in the community to bring even more food to the families we serve.”
She explained to Reminder Publications in that time she has seen the need for the emergency food services the Soup Kitchen provides increases. The organization now served 6,500 people, about 12 percent of the Chicopee’s population. Last year Lorraine’s distributed over 400,000 pounds of food during almost 9,000 visits to the Soup Kitchen. That figure is expected to rise given the latest cuts in assistance programs.
The demand is growing she said. Families can visit the food pantry every 60 days and many have said they need to visit it more.
She added what many people don’t understand is Chicopee has 23 percent of its residents living below the poverty line.
“Chicopee is a great city, a tight-knit city and a lot of people don’t realize the extent of the poverty that exists in Chicopee,” she said.
The demand is so great at the Soup Kitchen that Marion said the staff has to restock the shelves of the pantry three times a day.
“As fast as [donated foods] come in, they go out,” she said.
While donation of canned and non-perishable food items are welcomed, Marion said cash donations could actually do more good. She explained the Soup Kitchen could leverage its fund farther by buying food from the Western Massachusetts Food Bank. Ninety percent of the cash donations go to support the food programs.
Another advantage buying from the Food Bank is the purchase of meat and other fresh food times.
“It’s important for the families not just to get processed, high sodium food,” Marion explained. She added that fresh food “empower” families to cook on their own and can be a way to reinforce ethnic cultures.
Marion and her staff are getting ready for the holiday season, as Thanksgiving is a busy time at the pantry. She explained, though, they will not be offering turkeys as the Food Bank has decided not to buy any. She said spending the money usually designated on turkeys could better assure the availability of fresh meat throughout the year at the Food Bank.
She said that news has been difficult to share with the pantry’s clients.
Fundraisers are vital to the organization, such as the upcoming wine and beer tasting hosted by the Elder Council 69 of the Knights of Columbus on Granby Road from 7 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 7. Tickets are $25 per person and are available at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry, 170 Pendexter Ave., Plaza Package Store, 1245 Liberty St, Springfield, and at Elder Council 69. Tickets can be bought securely online at www.LorrainesSoupKitchen.com.
Sponsorship level opportunities are available. For more information, contact Bobby or Ann Marie Liswell at 478-6867 or email bliswell@charter.net.
“In the face of increased cuts to food security benefits and ongoing wealth inequality, this year’s Wine and Beer Tasting will mean more than ever to our organization and the people we serve,” Marion said. “The cost of one ticket to this event will help us feed two children for almost one full week.”
If interested in learning how to help the Soup Kitchen’s mission and activities contact Marion at 592-9528, or visiting www.lorrainessoupkitchen.com.