REXBURG — It’s an effort that David Merrill has felt drawn to for some time.
“With the size of a town that Rexburg is we need a free hot meal available to anybody,” David Merrill says.
With dozens of volunteers interested in helping each week, David Merrill and his wife, Margo, direct the efforts of the Rexburg Soup Kitchen, an organization that feeds bodies and souls.
“We just have a need of a soup kitchen. There are three amazing pantries. They distribute almost 2,000 boxes a month, but you can’t eat out of that,” David Merrill says.
He says Madison County has the highest level of the working poor in the state of Idaho.
The soup kitchen opened in April, and volunteers are serving carryout meals from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3012 building in Rexburg. Currently, the soup kitchen serves a ready-to-eat hot lunch along with a take-home dinner each Wednesday at noon. The organization relies on the generosity of the community and is partnered with local restaurants in town that are willing to share fresh food.
“Our mottos is to feed the hungry with good things. It comes out of Luke 1. And those good things included a hot meal but it includes information about (assistance),” David Merrill says. “There are amazing non-profits and agencies that are available to help provide these kinds of services.”
Margo Merrill works alongside her husband and other volunteers to bring nourishment and light to all who enter the VFW hall for a hot meal. She says patrons can look forward to soup, rolls, fruit, cookies, and a nice note on top of each clamshell takeout box.
“We love that anybody that can hold a crayon all the way up to 100 years old can volunteer at the soup kitchen,” Margo Merrill says.
Whenever there is extra food, it is donated as well.
“We don’t always have leftovers, but if we do we’re able to help provide meals for patrons at the family crisis center, and the Safe House, and other organizations that could use them,” Margo Merrill says.
Currently, the organization is serving some 150-180 meals weekly and does so through the help of regular volunteers. One such volunteer is Brenda Hintz, who is recently retired.
“I have learned that there are amazing people in Rexburg that want to help other people, and there are so many people here that are willing to help,” Hintz says.
“If you are looking for an opportunity to serve or if you are a person who needs to be served, please come to the Rexburg Soup Kitchen and take advantage of what it has here to help,” Hintz says.
You can volunteer to help at the Rexburg Soup Kitchen at 480 South 2nd West in Rexburg by going to Justserve.org/RexburgSoupKitchen, or you can bring canned or store bought, or homemade food to give away to those in need.