By Betsy Finklea
Providing free nutritious meals in a safe, clean, and loving environment to all who are hungry is the mission of the VEC Soup Kitchen.
Located in the rear of the building at 207 West Main Street in Dillon, the Kitchen serves meals Monday through Friday from 12 noon until 1:00 p.m. While they stop serving at 1:00 p.m, at 12:55 p.m, clients can get seconds if food is available.
No applications are necessary. Those who come to eat are asked to sign in, and those who come for the first time are familiarized with the rules.
The soup kitchen was supposed to open in November, but die to the flood, DHEC was delayed in making the necessary inspection to open.
The soup kitchen opened January 11th, and during the month of January, 814 clients were served, according to Simona Robinson.
“We’re trying to do God’s will,” said Simona Robinson.
Founder Nez Wynn said they want to be a blessing to the citizens. She said many people don’t have access to quality food. She said Dillon County has a high poverty rating in the state. She decided to open the soup kitchen to help meet the needs. They also hope to provide some nutrition education.
“Food will change your life,” said Wynn. She said food can help your mental state and your whole thought process. She hopes the soup kitchen will help bridge gaps and cut out barriers to food access.
Senator Kent Williams, who was a visitor at the soup kitchen at the time of this report, praised the staff for providing access to good hot meals. He said this was a good thing for the citizens.
The soup kitchen is solely by donations, and they are able to purchase food from Harvest Hope. Wynn said as awareness of the soup kitchen spreads, she hopes they will be able to get more donations so they can feed more people.
Donations can be sent to VEC Soup Kitchen, 207 West Main Street, Dillon, SC 29536, or if you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please call 843-627-3212.
