Stone Soup Corvallis Offers Free Meals – Needs New Location by July 1

For 42 years, Stone Soup Corvallis volunteers have prepared and served free hot nutritious meals to anyone who asks. They do this, seeking to serve in a manner that honors the dignity of each person. It’s a 365 day a year service, but that may not be able to continue. 

Stone Soup needs to find a new commercial kitchen and dining room space for up to 60 guests on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays – currently the meal service for those days happens at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. 

But the church has plans to build a new high school in the space, and Stone Soup needs to move out by July 1.  

Only eight weeks 

Even with the support of First Christian Church and First Congregational Church for the other days of the week, it’s been the kitchen at St. Mary’s that’s made four days a week of meal prep possible, and the church has also been the meal service site for three days a week. 

 As stands, Stone Soup needs a solution in eight weeks’ time, and they are appealing to the community for ideas – we’ve included their email address below. 

Also, beyond their current need, they would be most grateful for ideas about a permanent single site – if that would be possible. 

Why this is important 

Stone Soup is named for the children’s folk tale in which a pot that starts with only water and a stone is transformed into a delicious soup through the contributions of each community member.  This soup feeds hungry neighbors and those who contributed ingredients alike.   

How to help 

First, the folks at Stone Soup Corvallis – being who they are – wanted to make sure everyone knows how grateful they have been, and continue to be for the network of volunteers, donors, faith and community groups, and partner agencies that have buoyed their work for over four decades. 

And, we have to admit, as a newspaper, we are not objective about this. Stone Soup Corvallis is an absolutely local organization with a strong tradition of caring – their goal is nothing less than to prevent people in our shared community from going hungry. 

If you have ideas for a temporary meal site, please email their director at director@stonesoupcorvallis.org. Alternatively, you can phone Elizabeth Jones, (970) 690-1285. 

To learn more about Stone Soup and ways to get involved, please visit: https://stonesoupcorvallis.org/