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| The Soufriere Soup Kitchen Feeding
Programme |
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Contact Information:
Cheryl Cribbet
Secretary
P. O. Box 232
Soufriere, St. Lucia, West
Indies |
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E-Mail:
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Phone:
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Fax:
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Project Details:
Soufriere Soup Kitchen
The Soufriere soup
kitchen was started in June 2004 to cater for the less fortunate
population of Soufriere. It has been statistically demonstrated that
20% of the senior population of Soufriere live below the poverty
line and many in dire need of care and assistance.
Soufriere
also has a substantial number of people with mental health problems
and drug addicts who have been sent back into the community by
various treatment centers for rehabilitation purposes. These people
are most times completely ignored and left unsupported by their
families, and as a result resort to a vagrant’s life. Added to the
above there are also a small number of physically and mentally
challenged persons who have been ostracized by their families.
A small number of the senior citizens and less fortunate do
receive Government assistance/subsistence, however, the amount is
inadequate to meet their daily needs. Charities, such as St. Vincent
De Paul, and Food for the Poor also provide some assistance on a
monthly basis.
The Soup Kitchen aims to provide an avenue
for relief to the “poorest of the poor” of the community in that the
recipients have a nutritious meal at least three times per week. It
is hoped that this programme will assist in the reduction of the
street harassment problem in Soufriere as well as ensure that those
with mental health problems comply with their medication
requirements. Thus, hopefully giving back some self dignity to the
street people and thereby reducing the desperation and need to
solicit or harass assistance for their survival.
Currently
fifty meals per day are being served three days a week; Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. However, the need of the community is so
great that there is an urgent need to increase the number of
approved recipients to sixty-five. These additional fifteen have
already been identified as in “dire” need of these meals.
As
well as those attending the centre for their meals, the feeding
programme also provide meals to some house bound elderly and
disabled people. These meals are either delivered by the volunteers
or collected by a neighbour.
The Soup Kitchen is housed in
the “Home Economics” kitchen & store room of the old Girl’s
Primary School & Convent. The building has had to be
refurbished, renovated to accommodate an eating area and made
structurally sound. There are two paid cooks and the supervisors and
helpers are all volunteers.
Various local societies, church
groups and local hotels have pledged support to the Feeding
Programme as well as individuals. Some donations are given in the
form of food items.
The organization is non-denominational and
will provide meals for any person recognized as a resident of
Soufriere and who has been assessed as being in need of
assistance.
Donations of cheques to be made to: “The
Soufriere Soup Kitchen Feeding Programme” and sent to:
Cheryl Cribbet,
Secretary, Soufriere Soup Kitchen,
PO Box 232
Soufriere,
St Lucia
West
Indies
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