Soup Kitchen

In 2013, 14.3 percent or 17.5 million households were food insecure. Food-insecure households (those with low and very low food security) had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources.  These individuals and family use emergency food relief to help them.  Emergency food relief system provides free food to needy persons through soup kitchens and food pantries.

Since 2000, food bank output has consistently increased. Research has not shown whether hunger is decreasing or whether there is a change in how food security is provided. Food pantries and soup kitchens have become symbols of hunger and poverty in the United States. The data indicate that significant numbers of individuals and families—many of whom are employed—are seeking food assistance.

GrassROOTS Community Foundation Super Camp has partnered with Life Christian Church & Christina’s Kitchen in West Orange, NJ.  Led by Ms. Eleanor Wills and SuperMom Valencia Wills, on the last Saturday of the month, BAM girls work as servers in the Soup Kitchen. Board Chairman Tarik “Black Thought” Trotter and other SuperGirls have joined them in doing this work.  They call this work: PROJECT RECIPROCITY—the name builds on one of the four principles they learn in GrassROOTS SuperCamp.