Patrons of local soup kitchen have doubled since September
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REXBURG – Nine months after opening its doors, the Rexburg Soup Kitchen is exceeding expectations. Founder and Director David Merrill says the number of patrons has doubled since September.
The Rexburg Soup Kitchen opened inside the VFW Hall at 480 West 2nd North on April 2. State data shows Madison County is the poorest county in Idaho, and Merrill says the nonprofit is a critical resource for the community.
Every Wednesday, families receive a free hot lunch and two or three take-home dinners per person, often totaling 12 to 15 meals for a family of four.
“We can’t provide a whole week’s worth of groceries, but we can give families several days’ worth,” says Merrill “No one goes home hungry, and no one goes home without grocery food.”
The Soup Kitchen reopened in September after being closed during July and August because of the county fair. Merrill says demand spiked amid uncertainty and confusion surrounding the future of SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.
“Over the past month, the number of meals going out has grown at 20% per week,” Merrill said. “We’ve doubled our numbers since September.”
The day before Thanksgiving, the kitchen distributed 675 meals to about 105 families, along with 70 pies and pastries.
The food distribution model, in which a single adult may pick up meals for an entire household, is based on the honor system.
“We help the working poor,” says Merrill “Madison County has the highest rate of working poor in the state. These are people with one or two jobs, coming in on their lunch break. They don’t have time to sit and eat, so they take food home and get back to work.”
One of the most surprising elements of the kitchen’s success has been the overwhelming community response through food drives and volunteer efforts.
“All of the food you see on our shelves comes from canned food drives,” said Merrill. “Church groups, university groups, families — we get all kinds of people looking to volunteer. Today alone, seven different families dropped off boxes of food.”
Marilynn Clark, a volunteer and board member for the Rexburg Soup Kitchen, holds a food handlers license and operates the kitchen every week with 10 volunteers.
Clarks’ motivation to serve comes from what she describes as “pure joy.” She says the experience of serving others creates a genuine sense of connection and purpose among the volunteers, as well as a sense of neighborliness with all the patrons.
“It’s pure joy. It really is a give and take,” Clark explained. “It’s just wonderful to be a part of something that lifts someone else.”
Clark added that many volunteers walk away with a deeper understanding of the community’s needs and a feeling of gratitude for the chance to help.
“I’m retired, I have time, and I’ve always been comfortable in the kitchen,” Clark said. “So to be able to use that experience for something that actually helps people — it’s been a real blessing.”
Volunteer slots, posted on the JustServe website and an online form from the Soup Kitchen, fill up within hours of being posted. Families, students, retirees, and service groups consistently show up to cook, package meals, run the take-home tables, and create holiday cards for boxes.
“We realized we weren’t just fulfilling a food-insecurity need,” Merrill observed. “We were (also) fulfilling a volunteerism need. People want to do something meaningful for their neighbors.”
Each week, more than 1,000 donated rolls, cookies, or pieces of fruit arrive from volunteers in quantities that still astonish the organizers.
“I never imagined we’d get 1,000 pieces of food every single Wednesday,” Merrill said. “It’s blown us away, and if we needed more, all we’d have to do is ask.”
The Rexburg Soup Kitchen relies heavily on partnerships with local restaurants, many of which provide food at or below cost. The list includes Masala Indian, Kanoa Hawaiian, Righteous Slice, Paragon Café, Pizza Pie Café, Original Thai, and others.
“It’s like the United Nations of food,” Merrill noted. “We’re incredibly grateful.”
Businesses offer support in other ways as well. A local builder donated an enclosed trailer used for meal transportation and storage. The kitchen is now raising funds to buy cargo containers for additional storage.
“Our biggest expenses are consumables (like) clamshells, deli cups, along with contracted food and insurance,” he said. “We have no paid staff. Every dollar goes directly into serving our patrons.”
The kitchen’s mission goes beyond providing meals. Each Wednesday, patrons have access to a table filled with brochures and information for essential services, including medical and dental care, mental and emotional health resources, utility assistance, Section 8 housing information, free eye exams and eyeglasses, and job training and employment resources
“As winter sets in, we’ve been highlighting utility assistance,” Merrill noted. “People need good information just as much as they need food.”
When asked why the kitchen has been so successful so quickly, Merrill doesn’t hesitate to share what he has seen.
“There’s a need here — a real need,” he said. “But there’s also a powerful corporate and community ethic. People want to help. Companies want to do service projects. Families want to do something meaningful together. It’s Christlike service in action.”
Donations can be made online. The website also includes contact information, volunteer links, and donation options.
“We’re only nine months old,” says Merrill “There’s still a lot to do. But thanks to this community, its generosity, its compassion and volunteer ethic, we’ve already come farther than we ever imagined.”