Johnstown soup kitchen holds fundraiser, hopes to raise money and spread awareness

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — Today marks the beginning of the St. Vincent De Paul soup kitchen's Friendsday Wednesday fundraiser. It's held the second Wednesday of the month from now through March.

The St. Vincent De Paul soup kitchen in downtown Johnstown has kicked off their second annual friends-day Wednesday fundraiser.

The fundraiser is to help support the daily functions of the kitchen and also spread awareness about what the kitchen does.

“It is an awareness project as well as a fundraiser. A lot of people see our building here and see people standing outside but they don't know what we do. We feed individuals a hot lunch every day. So what we want is to bring people aware. They see the inside of the building they see our operations and how we are set up and they also help us raise that money that we so desperately need,” said St. Vincent De Pauls’ community relations specialist, Georgia Lehman.

The soup kitchen hopes this fundraiser educates the community and makes those who participate ... feel like they are making a difference.

“I hope it makes them feel good and they see we are doing a great service down here. And we are really just trying to help people who are in need, people who are hungry, things that we take advantage of every day that we have that some people just don't have,” said St. Vincent De Paul Soup Kitchen’s manager, Greg Karcher.

Organizers also say they want to emphasize the need for donations other than food.

Lehman (pronunciation: Lay-man) tells me there are several other bills which must be paid in order to keep the soup kitchen running.

"Now individuals might think, 'well we can donate some food.' Individuals who come here, the lights have to be on, the gas has to be on. We have utilities that need to be paid that in order to No. 1 keep the door open and No. 2 to help feed those individuals who depend on us daily for a hot meal,” said Lehman.

The next day to purchase soup to support the soup kitchen will be Nov. 13 from 3 p.m.to 6 p.m.

The fundraiser will continue every month on the second Wednesday of the month until March.

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