Trenton Area Soup Kitchen Observes 40th Anniversary
MERCER COUNTY, NJ — The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) opened its doors to patrons for lunch service on Jan. 13, which also happened to be the 40th anniversary of its first meal in Trenton.
In 1982, a group of community organizers came together to address the worsening hunger problem in Trenton. On Jan. 13, in the basement of the First United Methodist Church (now Turning Point United Methodist Church), they served roughly 60 butter sandwiches to members of the community. From there on, the effort – and the need – continued to grow.
Since that day 40 years ago, TASK has evolved and grown to meet the needs of the Trenton area community. After years of moves to different sites and venues, TASK finally settled at its Escher Street home in 1991. At the time, Board Chair Steve Leder coined the building “a triumph of community,” a term that continues to describe TASK today.
On Jan.13, TASK invited patrons, staff, current and former Board members, volunteers and supporters to take a few moments to reflect on 40 years and what lies ahead.
“The old adage is: ‘Give a man or woman a fish and they will eat for a day; teach them to fish and they will eat for the rest of their lives.’ TASK is here not just to serve a meal, but also to make sure that people become self-sufficient, providing services you will need for the rest of your life,” Senator Shirley Turner said.
Assemblyman Dan Benson remembered his own childhood when neighbors helped his family through a challenging time. “TASK helps to feed your mind and feed your soul. TASK helps you to make it to the next day and see a better future,” Benson said.
Pastor Rupert Hall, TASK Board Member and Senior Pastor at Turning Point United Methodist Church, where TASK served its first meal, said that feeding people is a core value of many religions – a uniting principle across communities. Quoting author Audre Lorde, Hall said, “’Without community, there is no liberation.’ TASK is what it means to have a community and liberation from homelessness and hunger.”
TASK offers a variety of programs and services to help patrons improve their quality of life and work toward self-sufficiency, including adult education, job search, case management, peer recovery, creative arts, and more. In addition, TASK expanded its service to distribute meals at community partner sites including religious organizations, schools, and other nonprofits throughout the area.
More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the organization to meet higher demand for food and assistance to help those living in poverty navigate a pandemic. TASK served roughly 8,000 meals per week at 32 community meal sites throughout the Trenton area, increasing meal production by an average of 70-percent beyond pre-pandemic rates.
“Throughout the pandemic, we did not stop feeding for a day,” TASK Executive Joyce Campbell said. “For the last seven months, our dining room reopened and it has been a joy to have volunteers back in the building helping,” she continued, to a round of applause. “I really hope we’re not still here in 40 years, but if we are we know we will be here with the support of the community.”
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This article originally appeared on the Lawrenceville Patch
