ROCK SPRINGS – “Are you guys closed?” a woman shouted through her car window as she eased into the parking lot of the Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, the home of the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen.
“No!” came back the enthusiastic reply of staff who had set up outdoor food distribution and pick-up.
The soup kitchen at 633 Bridger Ave. in Rock Springs has long provided a place for people to receive a hot meal and take home items from a food pantry. While the church building is closed to the public following orders that people not gather in groups larger than 10 to stop the spread of the coronavirus, people can stop by to receive to-go boxes and a few groceries like bread or salad fixings.
Soup kitchen workers said they’ve been serving about 50 meals a day since switching from serving sit-down meals. Lunches are served from noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday through the back door of the church.
Volunteer Thomas Duran said the soup kitchen provides food and a sense of community. He energetically offered pantry items like vegetables or yogurt, though no one took him up on his promotion of tripe.
The food comes from items purchased by the soup kitchen in addition to donations from local businesses like Albertsons, Smith’s and Walmart.
“It’s a pretty good community out here,” Duran said.
Residents were quick to thank the cook and the other volunteers.
Dave Gilman, who serves as a board member and frequent chef, said, “We have food and there’s no sense in anybody going hungry.”
The soup kitchen continues to accept donations of food, money and the time of valuable volunteers. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/loavesandfishessoup.
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