There is a small brick building in Warren located on South Main Street that does not look like much from the outside. In passing, outsiders probably think that nothing happens there. But that could not be farther from the truth. Once a month, volunteers gather to put together a hot meal for those in the community who want it. Saturday, December 9 marked 30 years for the soup kitchen that is owned and operated by Fee Fee Jones and the volunteers who work alongside her.
The kitchen was busy, and space was limited, but people moved around like choreographed dancers. Even though Fee Fee was seated in a chair, she gave instructions and answered questions concerning how and what to put in the dishes that were being prepared. Each team member worked with intention and somehow knew exactly where they were needed. However, this particular outreach was a little different than most. None of the gas-powered appliances worked. Despite that problem, Fee Fee did not seem as though she was bothered. “Everything for me has been a miracle because God has taken care of everything,” Jones said.
Volunteers took large dishes of uncooked food to their homes and used their ovens and stoves to ensure that the food was cooked properly. When the food was done, it was returned to the soup kitchen, and volunteers started the process of putting together the to-go boxes that would be handed out to the community.
But food is not the only thing given away. In August, along with food, school supplies were also given to the community. For December, gift bags for children and adults were given away with the adult bags containing items such as cleaning and laundry supplies. Fee Fee and her team of volunteers rely not only on food and monetary donations but also on a yearly trip she makes to her local bank to take out a loan to keep the monthly outreaches going. “I want to show love, to bring all of the races together. So, with this type of thing, it is for everybody,” Jones stated.
To know Fee Fee is to know compassion and generosity and she shares those sentiments with every box of food that is given away.
