Local soup kitchen feeds community through donations

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A local non-profit is using donations from the 9 Food Drive to make a difference in the community.

This week, Channel 9′s Elsa Gillis explored Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen in Rock Hill.

“Every guest that comes here is like a member of my family, and I fall in love with each and every one of them,” said Executive Director Jan Stephenson.

Stephenson said the kitchen served lunch to about 65 people pre-pandemic to 170 a day currently. This includes providing meals to those who can’t leave their homes.

It’s powered mostly by volunteers, including Carol DeLillo and Donna Conklin.

“They know they can come here and get a good meal. Sometimes, this is all they get all day. For us, it’s a way to give back to the community,” DeLillo said.

From getting groceries to hot meals, Johnny Payne told me this place has been a huge help for his family.

“It means everything to me. Honestly, I mean, me and my fiance are really going through a lot right now, and if, honestly, if this weren’t here, we would have to go about it the wrong way,” Payne explained. “It really means a lot that they help people. And it’s just a blessing.”

Much of the food is provided by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

VIDEO: WSOC-TV 9 Summer Food Drive Collection Day

WSOC-TV 9 Summer Food Drive Collection Day

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