Local soup kitchen provides Thanksgiving celebration for those in need

MILTON, Del. – For some, the holidays is an exciting season for fellowship, fun and times spent with family. Yet for others it can often be depressing and lonely. But one local soup kitchen is looking to change all of that, one meal at a time.

“Lots of them are really homeless, some of them have lost jobs, some of them this time of year their hours are being cut back,” said Reverend Dale Dunning of the Jusst Sooup Kitchen Ministries.

For the past 19 years, Dale Dunning has dedicated her life to making sure the homeless and other residents in Sussex county who may be down on their luck never go hungry.

“Some of them are just so hurt and are going through such hard times so I want to reach out with hugs and love and good food,” said Dunning.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Dunning rounded her team of volunteers to celebrate the holiday a tad bit earlier this year by providing a Thanksgiving feast for those in need, and giving them a place to call home.

“My wife and I have both gone through hard times and we know how it is and one of the most important things is what you can find in your community and close by and how they accept you,” said Jusst Sooup patron James Conrad.

With turkey, mashed potatoes, greens and more,  smiles and laughter filled the just soup kitchen for hours. And Dunning says one of the best things to see is the people who come in, but leave as a family.

“If you look around we’re all races, colors, creeds, all heights and sizes but we become family,” said Dunning.

And those who stopped in for a hot meal say they saw just how special, the Jusst Sooup Kitchen family is.

“The more people I meet, the more I found out how important this place is it really does bring people together and it’s a place where anybody can feel at home and welcome,” said patron Lindy Conrad.

Normally Dunning holds the Thanksgiving feast on the actual day of thanksgiving, but this year they decided to changes things up. She says she decided to move it to a week earlier so that other churches and residents in the area could also have a chance to give back to the community.