Bethel A.M.E. Church Serves at Soup Kitchen
Members of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Darlington pose for a picture during their service at the Soup Kitchen. PHOTO BY STEPHAN DREW
By Stephan Drew, Editor
A line of neighbors gathered in the crisp early morning air this past Saturday outside 586 W. Broad Street, where volunteers from Bethel A.M.E. Church served hot plates of grits, scrambled eggs and sausage.
On September 26, the congregation sponsored and served the weekly breakfast at the Community Connections soup kitchen, providing a warm meal to people experiencing hunger and homelessness.
“A hot breakfast does more than fill a stomach,” said one church member. “It tells someone they were thought of, that they matter, and that their community hasn’t forgotten them.”
Community Connections runs the soup kitchen every Saturday morning, relying on a rotating network of local churches and organizations that take turns preparing, sponsoring and distributing food. Together, the partners serve hundreds of meals each week. Because no single group carries the full burden, each Saturday brings new volunteers and a new menu.
Bethel members arrived before sunrise to prepare the Southern breakfast classic.
The kitchen operates out of the City of Darlington’s Streets & Sanitation Department building, formerly the old Darlington Builders Supply. For many guests, the meal offers more than nourishment: a chance to sit down, share a prayerful conversation and be treated with dignity by volunteers who often know regulars by name.
Meals are served at 8:00 a.m. every Saturday at 586 W. Broad Street. All are welcome.
Community Connections invites churches, civic groups, organizations and individuals to sponsor, serve, volunteer or donate. For more information, call 843-495-3433.