Can You Help Soup Kitchen Reach $150K Fundraising Goal?

December is crunch time for the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, as the push is on to reach a challenge fund-raising goal of $150,000 from the community. If they achieve their goal, they will receive an addiional $100,000 donation from two anonymous donors. 

The city's Board of Aldermen is also looking to pitch in with a proposal to provide a donation to fill whatever gap may be left by the end of the month, although that measure will require a vote by the Board of Aldermen at their next full board meeting. 

In the meantime, the soup kitchen is seeking donations in any amount, and has compiled a compelling link on their website underscoring how much the move to their new space at 2 Quincy Street will mean to all involved.
 
To make an online donation now, click here. Tax ID number is: 02-0359239

Also, did you know you can designate the Nashua Soup Kitchen to receive an automatic donation every time you shop on line? Click here to find out more about iGive.

From the Nashua Soup Kitchen's Breaking Bread, Breaking Ground campaign website:

In the new building at 2 Quincy Street,  clients will experience:

• Greater dignity – no more waiting in line outside for a meal or food basket or services; no more battling the weather and worrying who might drive by and see that they need help. camp
• Not having to rush through a meal knowing others are waiting outside to come in and eat.  The current dining room has 47 seats; the new dining room will have 123 seats.   
• Safety and comfort for families with children in a separate dining area so they can come anytime during the dinner hours. 
• No waiting for the “family dinnertime” to be over to enter and eat. 
• Selecting non-perishable food they like to eat instead of accepting an emergency food box packed in the basement by unknown volunteers containing unknown food.

• Thanksgiving and Christmas food basket distribution will take place over several days.  Currently, distribution is crammed into two days during which we cannot serve all meals.
• We will bring our backpack program and Christmas “Adopt a Child Program” back in house; allowing for distribution over a few weeks, at times convenient for clients.
• There will be a shower, and a washer and dryer, for those who are homeless and have nowhere to take care of these basic needs.
• No more steep and narrow stairs to navigate! Actual stairs going from the kitchen prep area to the third room of our basement Food Pantry
• Volunteers will find cooking easier in the new, larger, kitchen.
• Increased storage space means we can accept larger donations of food. Because of space constraints now, we sometimes turn away food.  Even if it means buying it a week later.  
• The dining room and food pantry will be separate so we can serve meals AND provide food.  Currently, volunteers set up and break down the space two times a day.

• The employment and training program will have a small computer area in which clients can work on their resumes, access the internet, take on-line courses, and job search with assistance from our Employment and Education Advocate. 
• The large indoor waiting area will give us space to talk with guests about services or items they may need. 
• There will be room for outside agencies to bring services to people who come to the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter: Food stamp and Head Start signups, public health wellness checks, flu shots and vaccinations, AA meetings.      
• Volunteers will have space to do special projects with kids such as reading and giving out books and educational games.
• Food donors will have a dedicated loading area.