tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831Wed, 02 Jul 2025 04:13:43 +0000soup kitchenteensvolunteersMother Marianne's West Side Kitchen, St.Joseph/St.Patrick Parish, Utica,NYhttps://www.inthesoup.org/noreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)Blogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-3216538277936099731Sun, 03 Nov 2024 11:43:00 +00002024-11-03T06:47:10.366-05:00The aroma of cooking was the first thing Syracuse Bishop Douglas J. Lucia noticed.“Oh, that smells good!” Bishop Douglas Lucia & Advisory Board Chair Darren WoodsThe bishop decided to stop in at Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen and Boutique on Oct. 7, two weeks before the canonization anniversary day of the soup kitchen’s namesake (St. Marianne Cope). He was between official visits to https://www.inthesoup.org/2024/11/a-bishop-visits.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-1591128604620940617Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:45:00 +00002024-01-04T14:58:04.107-05:00 One would think that filling a chapel at a Catholic school would not be much of a challenge.Nancy Robert (2nd from left) with ND sstaff & tudents.But Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School put a unique twist on the concept as a way to get holiday donations for Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen and Boutique.Thus, Stuff the Chapel was born.“Campus Ministry hosted the ‘Stuff the Chapel’ event https://www.inthesoup.org/2024/01/stuff-chapel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-5602491564936087603Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:41:00 +00002023-12-12T19:47:07.106-05:00 Want to know how students in Marisa Cardillo’s senior seminar class learn to add depth to their resume?They volunteer at Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen.Marisa is an English teacher at Sauquoit Valley High School.“We create resumes in this class early in the year and I noticed that much of the service experiences revolve around putting in the time here, close to home, with many https://www.inthesoup.org/2023/12/how-soup-kitchen-is-good-for-resume.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-2450833934090327736Thu, 23 Mar 2023 04:56:00 +00002023-03-23T00:56:27.218-04:00Pat McGrathThe St. Patrick’s Day Parade is not only about celebrating Irish culture, where “a ton of people” have fun, but also about getting together “to do some good” and “affect people’s lives.”That’s how parade co-director Pat McGrath described the donation of food and money to Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen on Wednesday, March 22.McGrath, along with parade food drive co-chairs Bernie https://www.inthesoup.org/2023/03/irish-fun-that-does-some-good.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-1299196960077245940Fri, 25 Mar 2022 23:38:00 +00002022-03-25T19:42:12.317-04:00Bernie Adorino of Adorino Construction Inc. was looking for a non-profit cause he could help sponsor some 13 years ago. While visiting City Hall and chatting with city officials, he heard about the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee and decided to reach out. The committee at the time, with the urging of member Chris Hoke, decided to collect food during the parade for Mother Marianne's West Side https://www.inthesoup.org/2022/03/the-spirit-of-irish-propels-food-drive.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-1771283121052163846Fri, 19 Feb 2021 20:22:00 +00002021-02-19T20:22:01.066-05:00 “We really have a lot of blessings. Our donors.” That’s how Advisory Board Treasurer Joe Antonik put it when reviewing recent donations to the soup kitchen.Board Chairman Darren Woods gave special note to a group involved in a Christmas food drive. General Contractor Michael Bonacci of Whitesboro organized the drive, collecting $1,500 in foodstuffs and money from businesses and https://www.inthesoup.org/2021/02/a-food-drive-blessing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-8012764861092585471Fri, 15 Jan 2021 02:03:00 +00002021-01-14T21:03:28.536-05:00Dave Lowitz first got to know the work of Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen when he was working for the Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL). At the invitation of Deacon Gil Nadeau, RCIL sent an outreach team to see the need first hand. They discovered, among other things, that 27 percent of the guests were homeless and 70 percent were unemployed.Recently Dave recounted how impressed https://www.inthesoup.org/2021/01/pythian-watchwords-friendship-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-3642582562287964Thu, 24 Dec 2020 16:41:00 +00002020-12-24T11:41:06.091-05:00 John Knight was observing the line of people winding its way through the soup kitchen, getting take-out meals before heading his way. In fact, he was the center of attention because he wearing a white beard and red suit.“Merry Christmas,” he shouted repeatedly. “Be sure to get your gifts.”Mrs. Claus, an elf and other helpers were giving out bags of personal care items, hats, scarves, gloveshttps://www.inthesoup.org/2020/12/its-like-miracle-santa-observes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-7441618020757807105Tue, 29 Sep 2020 02:28:00 +00002020-09-28T22:28:13.051-04:00 Ed Morgan stepped up to head Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen nearly four years ago. After four months on the job, he decided to ask some volunteers how they thought the operation was going.“I guess it’s alright,” Cheryl Wakeel said. “You haven’t pissed me off yet.”Another responded by saying, “Who are you?”Cheryl Wakeel, Ed Morgan, Board Chair Darren Woods.Ed recounted that exchange https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/09/this-must-be-where-im-supposed-to-be.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-2715546632903300070Wed, 26 Aug 2020 21:35:00 +00002020-08-26T17:35:26.768-04:00 West Side Boutique Coordinator Nancy Robert read an article about Emilie Fancett, a 13-year-old girl who collects and gives away rosaries. She reached out to the girl’s mother, Brenda, about making some rosaries available to soup kitchen patrons. Brenda and EmilieEmilie and Brenda visited West Side Kitchen Aug. 26 and not only donated over 150 rosaries, but also several boxes of https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/08/she-thought-it-was-necklace.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-964881215129808739Thu, 13 Aug 2020 12:43:00 +00002020-08-13T08:43:35.812-04:00Yijia (Cindy) Xing was finishing a chalk drawing of a long slender tree. It seemed to gracefully bend, following her fingers. Branches with hanging leaves spread in different directions, extending its reach. “This represents the mother of life,” the 16-year-old artist said. Child-like angels under the tree, she noted, “bring news of new life.”Yijia (Cindy) Xing (photos by R. Stronach)Likewise, https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/08/youth-brings-new-life-to-boutique.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-7178992959293329694Mon, 20 Jul 2020 20:01:00 +00002020-08-29T16:11:55.037-04:00soup kitchenteensvolunteersWhen Grace Zhang began the second half of her freshman year at Cornell University in January, little did she realize she would soon be putting into practice leadership skills she was discussing in class – and helping a soup kitchen at the same time.Grace Zhang When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, she says her leadership professor, Donna Lynn Haeger, mentioned opportunities to help out. She pointed https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/07/its-time-of-grace.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-6327959198807569760Tue, 09 Jun 2020 19:15:00 +00002020-06-09T15:28:00.396-04:00Donations are important to the effort to feed the hungry. But words of appreciation have equal impact.The staff and volunteers at the soup kitchen think they should be thanking donors. More often than not, it’s the other way around, notes Director Ed Morgan.“I can’t tell you how often someone makes a donation, and they THANK ME.”For example:“We are always awed by all of the volunteers, the https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/06/whos-applauding-whom.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-1218202979911376572Wed, 15 Apr 2020 11:53:00 +00002020-04-16T19:28:20.323-04:00It was a busy Easter Sunday at Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen -- except there was no loud chatter permeating the dining hall. Director Ed Morgan and four volunteers prepared Easter dinners of ham, scalloped potatoes and glazed carrots, and packed them in to-go containers. They handed out a total of 156 meals, which also included salad, fruit and desserts. That wasn’t all. “Eighteen kids https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/04/busy-easter-without-loud-chatter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-1123513847580343383Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:55:00 +00002020-03-24T15:05:53.030-04:00The coronavirus pandemic struck. Businesses and schools shut down. Most people stayed home. 
 But the volunteers at Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen continued to show up to feed those in need – the poor, the jobless, the underemployed, the homeless. 
 In fact, the volunteers were “unfazed.” That’s how Kitchen Director Ed Morgan put it. 
 There was one big change, however. Instead of serving https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/03/volunteers-unfazed-by-pandemic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-1488494002605336495Mon, 17 Feb 2020 22:48:00 +00002020-02-18T19:56:07.479-05:00 Thanks to some thoughtful people, families who visit the soup kitchen were able to bring toys home to put under their Christmas trees. There were also some 30 children who got presents from Santa himself when he visited the soup kitchen Dec. 23. Among those thoughtful donors were Katherine Divine, the Remsen VFW, and anonymous givers such as the man who showed up at the last minute with https://www.inthesoup.org/2020/02/birthday-girl-donates-gifts-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-67632500198247843Wed, 25 Dec 2019 04:07:00 +00002020-02-17T17:49:33.351-05:00“I got emotional. These kids were overwhelmed with joy.” Volunteer John Knight was overjoyed himself. He got to dress up as Santa Claus, chat with over 30 children, and hand out gifts along with helper elf Lynda Schmelcher. This is the second year John played Santa at Mother Marianne's West Side Kitchen. “I love it. As you can see, it brightens up the kids’ day.” The gifts they handed out – https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/12/passing-christmas-spirit.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-5370863319231569420Mon, 16 Dec 2019 01:28:00 +00002019-12-24T23:13:21.405-05:00 Marianne Turczyn grew up in St. Joseph and St. Patrick parish, and because of that, she says, “Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen holds a special place in my heart.” She also pointed to a connection with the soup kitchen’s namesake, who herself spent her childhood and young adult life in the parish before becoming a Franciscan sister and heading to Hawaii to care for lepers. “Saint https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/12/a-special-place-in-her-heart.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-6912395573459470847Sat, 07 Dec 2019 02:05:00 +00002019-12-15T20:30:10.929-05:00 With Christmas approaching, many of us have a wish list. Our children typically wish for the latest toys, gadgets and fashions. We adults are not above wishing for new gadgets ourselves. Or perhaps a better job. Or more meaning in our lives. Nancy Robert has a Christmas Wish List aimed at putting a smile on the faces of people in need. Nancy Robert  As coordinator of the https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/12/a-christmas-wish-list.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-6988407595541395155Sat, 16 Nov 2019 20:27:00 +00002019-12-06T21:06:09.705-05:00 I was at the Seraphicum in Rome, Italy recently where I got to chat with a Franciscan missionary friar who has adopted the causes of caring for orphans and abandoned elderly on an island off the western coast of equatorial Africa. The Seraphicum I also got to chat with a Secular Franciscan from Venezuela whose Franciscan fraternity is feeding school children from destitute families and https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/11/the-people-on-front-lines.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-8779587774330850500Thu, 24 Oct 2019 19:44:00 +00002019-11-16T15:30:02.715-05:00 Dr. Mark Warfel (left) and Nancy Robert (right). People who don’t access regular healthcare may suddenly find themselves the victims of silent killers like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. That’s why Dr. Mark Warfel was interested in reaching out to the underserved population through Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen (after outreach volunteer Nancy Robert approached him https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/10/soup-kitchen-docs-hope-to-thwart-silent.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-3314628758030056430Sat, 12 Oct 2019 02:20:00 +00002019-10-24T15:48:15.379-04:00 Many of our volunteers bring a big heart to Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen, caring for guests like they were family. Some bring a bit of soul, breathing music into the air. During the soup kitchen’s rededication day (Oct. 9), Bernadette VanValkenburg was playing the piano at one end of the dining hall, pouring out the joyful strains of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Destiny.”  She simply https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/10/a-big-heart-and-little-soul.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-6923792485322331955Wed, 02 Oct 2019 12:00:00 +00002019-10-11T22:21:13.117-04:00It rained a little that recent Tuesday morning, but then the sun peered from behind the clouds, bathing the entrance to Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen with bright, warm rays. Sunlight also glistened off four black bicycle racks. Matt VanSlyke of Utica Bike Rescue squatted close to the sidewalk as he bolted a rack to the concrete. The four new racks, capable of accommodating eight bikes, https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/10/bike-racks-for-guests-volunteers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-7207013959564021824Thu, 26 Sep 2019 20:08:00 +00002019-09-26T16:08:05.540-04:00We work to feed the hungry in our community without regard to getting recognition. Our volunteers are motivated by something else. Some may refer to the golden rule of treating others as they would like to be treated. Others may quote the New Testament passage, Matthew 25:35, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome.” So, ithttps://www.inthesoup.org/2019/09/a-gem-in-heart-of-utica.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8660335802862834831.post-318812534894958878Sat, 21 Sep 2019 13:38:00 +00002019-09-27T22:32:03.364-04:00Six-year-old Dash Wilson was cleaning the table with determination. His 8-year-old brother, Syke, was wielding a broom, with dad Eleyah offering a tip on how to sweep more efficiently. Meanwhile, 19-month-old Kaleah was shadowing her brothers, offering advice in screams and shouts. It was just another day of community service for the homeschooled Wilson family — except that the location was https://www.inthesoup.org/2019/09/volunteering-part-of-homeschooling.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Robert Stronach, writer/photographer)