Soup Kitchen & Outreach at Saint Ignatius
“You cannot claim to worship Jesus in the Tabernacle, if you do not pity Jesus in the slums. . . It is folly -- it is madness -- to suppose that you can worship Jesus in the Sacraments and Jesus on the throne of glory, when you are sweating him in the souls and bodies of his children.” --- Bishop Frank Weston at the 1923 Anglo-Catholic Congress
Soup Kitchen
The Saint Ignatius of Antioch soup kitchen offers healthy takeaway meals every Saturday at 4:00 P.M. and every Monday at 7:00 P.M. from our entrance at 552 West End Avenue. (For directions, click here.)
Each to-go bag contains freshly made soup, sandwiches and extras such as fruit. Our mission is to serve everyone who comes to our door in a manner that respects their dignity and privacy.
In addition to serving our Soup Kitchen guests, we deliver packaged meals to the Homeward NYC Shelter on Saturday afternoons. It is an inter-generational shelter, providing housing to young mothers and their children (up to the age of 7) as well as elderly men and women.
Our volunteer-run soup kitchen has operated for more than 35 years, continuing to serve our community through hurricanes, blizzards and a global pandemic. We follow safety and sanitation guidelines to maintain the health of our guests and our volunteers. We are grateful for support from individual donors from the parish and the community, and grants from Episcopal Charities and the NYC Community Food Connection.
To donate to the soup kitchen: Use Paypal here, or send a check payable to Saint Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church (with “Soup Kitchen” in the memo line).
The Soup Kitchen also accepts donations of:
- Kitchen supplies (dishwashing liquid, paper towels, kitchen sponges)
- Shelf-stable pantry items and canned goods that can be used to make soup (no sugary foods, no breakfast cereal).
- Individually packaged snack items (crackers, juice boxes) must come in quantities of 20 or more.
- Small and unopened toiletries including soap, deodorant, hand sanitizer, shampoo, hand lotion, lip balm, toothpaste / toothbrush, and shaving supplies. Please place items in the basket inside our West Avenue door.
During the winter months, we accept the following items of clothing which must be new with store tags intact:
- Warm socks
- Mittens
- Gloves
- Scarves
- Hats
We cannot accept other clothing donations.
For food safety reasons, we do not accept:
- Food that has been previously cooked or served
- Food that is not individually packaged, or has an open or broken seal
- Anything containing alcohol
For directions, click here.
Volunteer Opportunities
A small team of 5-6 volunteers prepare food and pack to-go bags each Saturday from 2:00 to 4:30 P.M.. Monday’s meals are prepared and served by two volunteers from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M.. To learn more about volunteering, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Nick Greendyk here or text to 908-303-7642.
OTHER OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
Pass the Purse, Please
We have gathered new and gently used purses for the mothers housed at the Homeward NYC Shelter, and filled them with small beauty and hygiene products. These have been distributed during professionally facilitated workshops focused on mental health and coping skills.
Holiday Meal and Gifts for the Homeward NYC Shelter Residents
For many years at Christmastide, our parish members have volunteered their time, talent, and treasure to provide a joyful holiday season for the residents of the Homeward NYC shelter. We collect donations to purchase needed items for the residents, contribute desserts for their annual holiday lunch, and help prepare, serve and clean-up the meal. Almost everyone in the parish participates as we know how important it is for the residents we serve to be remembered and loved at this time of year.
Mother and Child Weekend Retreat
For the last two years, we have helped sponsor a weekend retreat for single moms and their children at the Fairview YMCA Camp in Sussex County, NJ. The retreat is sponsored by ICMAD, a nonprofit focused on supporting single parents. The women came from all over NJ, many suffering from trauma such as domestic abuse, and all struggling to balance childcare while building skills to achieve financial independence. Over the weekend, families engage in creative and recreational activities, such as art therapy, outdoor adventures, and team-building exercises. Mothers participate in workshops led by experienced facilitators on relevant mental health topics.
The Leopards: Helping Parishioners Help Each Other
Helping Parishioners Help Each Other. “Leopards” was the nickname our patron, Saint Ignatius, gave to the cohort of Roman Soldiers who accompanied him on his journey from Antioch to Rome to face the lions in the Colosseum. Our Leopards are a group parishoners who help fellow parishioners who may be in need of some assistance or companionship. Grocery shopping for the temporarily homebound, dog-walking, or accompanying someone to the doctor or to church aresome of the simple, useful, and practical ways we can care for one another within the Saint Ignatius community. If you would like to help, please speak to Lucy Kuemmerle or Deacon Paul about becoming a Leopard.