Following is the Covenant Soup Kitchen Mission Statement:

Realizing that people can be impoverished physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and culturally, as well as just from lack of money, the Isaiah 58 Ministry's mission is to address these needs by providing not only food, but an environment of care, love, support, and safety to those who come through our doors. This ministry also relies on its faith in a loving and caring God to help us carry out this mission.
St. Paul's Church lies in the heart of downtown Willimantic, an industrial city in Connecticut's relatively poor Northeastern region. Through the Isaiah 58 Ministry, the community addresses the local problem of urban poverty, the closing of industry, and a critical shortage of housing. Isaiah 58 also assists the large number of de-institutionalized individuals who are struggling to survive in the city. Operation of the ministry's program - The Covenant Soup Kitchen, the "Client Choice" Emergency Food Pantry, Sunday Bag Lunch, and the Care and Advocacy programs - depends on donations, volunteers, and community support. Covenant Soup Kitchen has a governing board consisting of members of the community and representatives from Saint Paul's Church. The staff consists of three full-time employees.

On Saturday, December 21, 2013, 15 members and friends from Holy Trinity Orthodox Church served 102 lunches to individuals who regularly visit the Covenant Soup Kitchen, located at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, 200 Valley Street, in Willimantic.

It was the first time our community was involved in this type of parish outreach, and certainly fit one of the three pillars Holy Trinity commits itself to: Mercy (Mission, Ministry being the other two).

The group from Holy Trinity, led by Coordinator Daria Biancardi, arrived at 9:30am. The meal consisted of chicken, salad, mashed potatoes, vegetables, fruit salad, cookies, milk, and juice. After the food was prepared, Kitchen Manager, Pam Rogers, invited us to sit and eat prior to our serving the group who had come for a hearty, nutritious, and well-balanced lunch. As we ate, several from our group expressed sadness in that they felt they were eating food from the plates who they had come to serve and minister to.

After serving lunch, we sang Christmas Carols, then participated in cleaning up; we were on our way home by 1:30 in the afternoon.

“It was a powerful ministry to be involved in,” Holy Trinity pastor, Fr Marc Vranes, said. “It was incredibly humbling to see and hear gratitude expressed so consistently from those who very often are marginalized and many times completely forgotten about. Each of us has been deeply moved by this experience. To hear ‘please’, ‘thank you’, and ‘no thank you’ from those who are homeless, or if they are not have very little in the way of material goods, was something none of us will forget. God is good.

“We look forward to joining other local churches and community groups who serve those in need at the Covenant Soup Kitchen on a more regular basis.”

Interesting, one of the men who we met Saturday, visited our church the following day after Divine Liturgy. Richard came to express his gratitude to us for feeding him Saturday afternoon.

Visit:  http://www.covenantsoupkitchen.org/ to learn more about the Covenant Soup Kitchen.