Spring Break
Soup Stop continues to serve in recession
David Thill / Senior Reporter
Issue date: 3/23/09 Section: News
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Perhaps the effects are somewhat less than obvious while driving down the streets of Charleston. New businesses have opened, old ones been remodeled and remade.
However, according to epodunk.com, Coles County had a per capita income of little more than $17,000 in 2008.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site states the national unemployment rate has risen nearly 2 percent since September and Illinois' unemployment rate has risen from 6.7 percent to 7.9 percent in that same span of time.
In a period of economic instability, though, it can be reassuring to know there is a helping hand outstretched, even in Charleston.
The Soup Stop is one such hand.
Walking through the back door of the First Presbyterian Church Friday afternoon, making one's way down the short flight of stairs to the basement, the large room is largely empty, save the two volunteers cleaning up.
There is, however, a large assortment of food arranged on a table just inside the door. Food meant for anyone who is in need of a meal.
"We're here to give help to anyone who needs it," Joyce Maurer, long-time volunteer at the Soup Stop, said.
More specifically, the Soup Stop operates Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. offering lunch for free.
"If somebody is hungry, we try to fill that need," said Harold Strangeman, who has volunteered with the service since it began in June 2001. "We are here for people and we hope they come in and see us."
Although the service operates out of the basement of the First Presbyterian Church, it is not affiliated with the church. And Strangeman pointed out that philanthropy follows no set religion.
"(First Presbyterian Church) is nice enough to let us use the building," he said. "But we try to be community-wide. Our volunteers have varied. We've had Catholic, Lutheran volunteers. Even a man who was Buddhist."
Strangeman said the service came about when the pastor of the church at the time realized there was a need in the community, even if it isn't visible to everyone.
"We had a young man come in recently who was so desperate for a job and couldn't find one that he was about to start going door to door," Maurer said.
That kind of need is what fuels the Soup Stop and those that give their time volunteering.
"It's always a good feeling to know you're helping someone," Maurer said. "When you are volunteering, of course you don't get paid. You do it because you want to."
But the economy affects everyone, even the Soup Stop itself.
"Over the years we've had a lot of help from (local) churches," Strangeman said. "Occasionally they will take an offering or something. The churches in Charleston always donate."
The Soup Stop is always thankful for those donations, Strangeman said. After all, it's through the volunteers and those donations from the community that allows the service to keeping serving.
For information about volunteering, Barbara Fanello, volunteer coordinator, can be reached at 348-6006. For information about monetary donations, contact 348-1939.
David Thill can be reached at 581-7942 or at dmthill@eiu.edu.
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