By Robert Higgins | Project Leader
The Cuenca Soup Kitchen has experienced tremendous growth over the past year as the need for services for our refugee guests and financially challenged Ecuadorians has grown. Our journey started out three years ago serving 20 – 25 lunches, two days a week, to parents of children staying at Hospital Vincente Moscoso. As our numbers grew we were able to create a partnership with Club Rotary Tomebamba who were able to secure us a bigger space at Casa del Migrante and from there to the Posada San Francisco which acts as our current home. During that period our numbers swelled to our current population of 1,000 lunches a week with many of our guests being under 5 years of age.
2019 saw us move into our new “Store” on Padre Aguiere where we supply donations of gently used clothing and housewares to our guests at no charge and our Outreach Program where we bring bag lunches to the needy in our community continues to be an important program for those in need in our community. Another important change is our recent partnership with Hearts of Gold Foundation who is now handling our finances, acting as our 501c3 and is acting as our consulting partner.
Change is an organic part of any growing organization and the Cuenca Soup Kitchen has had its fair share. Our pool of volunteers (all who work for free) changes regularly as people move out of the area or just get involved in other interests/projects. The store was moved this year to its new home and we now have a nutritionist on board to help us create nourishing meals. Another big change is that The Soup Kitchens Executive Director is stepping down to help create a new Soup Kitchen in Poute. This change will officially become effective February 1. The leadership of the soup kitchen will be turned over to Des Dizney, Bill O’Brien, Mr. Smith and Jane Minor. Their dedication to the soup kitchen and their energy to move forward assures that the Cuenca Soup Kitchen will continues to grow and learn of new ways that the soup kitchen will be a service to those in need in our community.
It has been an honor to work together with such dedicated and involved people in our community.
Thank you all for your kind heart, please contunue supporting this project that has grown because of your generosity.
With love and Gratitude,
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