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Soup Kitchen receives $20K from city, but needs $80K more for new building

Date: 8/25/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



CHICOPEE -- Although the city awarded Lorraine's Soup Kitchen a check for $20,000 in Community Development Block grant money for the construction of its new facility on Meadow Street on Aug. 20, there is still a need for additional funding.

Jerry Roy, president of the board, told Reminder Publications $80,000 still needs to be raised in order for the new facility to be completed and the Soup Kitchen can move from its present location on Center St.

Roy gave reporters a tour of the new soup kitchen building and pointed out the large area designated for the new kitchen. The dry wall has been installed throughout the building and Roy said the kitchen area would also have a special plastic backsplash put upfor easy cleaning.

Once the walls are finished, the final layer of flooring will be installed and then the appliances, including a walk-in refrigerator, will be added, Roy said.

Going into the basement, he pointed out a huge walk-in freezer, which will make the storage of food donations much easier for the non-profit. Currently, they must store frozen food items off site, he said.

The freezer still needs a compressor and condensers, he added.

Lorraine Houle, founder of the soup kitchen and food pantry, said that while the daily meal attracts about 100 people which is about average -- the need for the food pantry's services has greatly increased. Houle said that about 500 families a month -- all from Chicopee -- come in for food to supplement their budget.

Donations at this time are slow, Houle said. The food pantry is in need of items such as macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce, soups and pasta.

Roy said the food charity is planning to move into the new facility sometime this fall.