Stone Soup Kitchen Ministries

  Stone Soup Kitchen will be closed from Wednesday, December 24 until Tuesday, December 30.  We will reopen on Wednesday, December 31, and our dinner and pantry will resume on January 2 and 3 as usual.

Good morning everyone!  I have shout-outs to share this morning, our schedule for the holidays, and news on our upcoming partnership meeting, so let's get right to it!   Schedule first: Stone Soup Kitchen will be closed from Wednesday, December 24 until Tuesday, December 30.   We will reopen on Wednesday, December 31 (for packing), and our dinner and pantry will resume on January 2 and 3 as usual.  There will be no letter next Monday, as I'll be with extended family, including my 90 year old father!  * * * * *  Shout-outs next: AVS (Advanced Vacuum Systems), located in Ayer, has outdone themselves in their annual food drive for Stone Soup Kitchen.  Each year they help to restock our shelves following our holiday push so that we can go into the new year without any lack.  We are so grateful to them! The Ayer office of National Grid has dedicated volunteer hours to us each month for several years now!  They send us fabulous people who...

Good morning to everyone!  It's so great to see the sun back out this morning, even though it doesn't seem to be having any effect on melting the snow.  When Mike and I went to the gym this morning, it crunched underfoot.  You know it 's too cold for melting when that happens! But anyway.  We had a very busy weekend, and once more we were so glad to be in our new home at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, where we have much more space to stage our pantry sessions, and where our guests can come inside out of the cold to get their groceries and can enjoy hanging out with friends at the Coffee Bar.  We're coming up on our 1 year anniversary of being at SOV, and that just reminds me of how grateful we are to the members of this congregation who worked so hard to make room for us...you know who you are!  Another reason for gratitude came last week when we received notice of an unexpected grant from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts....

  Stone Soup Kitchen opens at 4 pm on Friday evenings, located in Shepherd of the Valley Church on Washington Street in Ayer. Please park in the Newton Street lot and walk up to the first blue door on Washington Street. Dinner is open to ANYone who wants a good hot meal and some company...no need to bring anything but yourself unless you want to! From 4 to 5, we are open for those who want to get together and socialize in the dining room. The potluck dinner is available from 5 to 5:30 followed by dessert and our open support group, which runs from 5:30 to 6, if you'd like to stay for it after dinner. This week, our potluck with feature sweet and sour pork with various sides, dessert, juice, coffee, and some extra snacks to take home for the weekend. Our food pantry is open every Saturday morning from 10 to noon, same location. Come to the parking lot on Cambridge Street and follow the arrows. If you need food, or KNOW someone who needs food...please come pick some...

  Good morning all!  Despite the freezing temperatures we've been enduring, there is always some good news to share that can warm our hearts.  Today's good news comes from our friend JL: she bought an extra Christmas tree this weekend and wants to give it to someone who needs one!  If you or one of your friends/neighbors is having a difficult time this year, please email me as soon as you possibly can and I'll put you in touch with her.  This is a first come, only one served situation.  In other wonderful news, my terrific husband Mike and our friend Bob got the first of our two banners up at Shepherd of the Valley where we now make our home.  There's a picture attached for you to see them.  It was FREEZING, and we really appreciate them for doing this.  Banner #2 will eventually go on the Washington Street side of the building.    Now the lukewarm news: Yes, SNAP has been reinstated, but it has been cut for many people, and prices ...

  Stone Soup Kitchen opens at 4 pm on Friday evenings, located in Shepherd of the Valley Church on Washington Street in Ayer. Please park in the Newton Street lot and walk up to the first blue door on Washington Street. Dinner is open to ANYone who wants a good hot meal and some company...no need to bring anything but yourself unless you want to! From 4 to 5, we are open for those who want to get together and socialize in the dining room. The potluck dinner is available from 5 to 5:30 followed by dessert and our open support group, which runs from 5:30 to 6, if you'd like to stay for it after dinner. This week, thanks to our friends Angela and Cindy, we will be feasting on a pulled pork dinner with various sides, dessert, juice, coffee, and some extra snacks to take home for the weekend. Our food pantry is open every Saturday morning from 10 to noon, same location. Come to the parking lot on Cambridge Street and follow the arrows. If you need food, or KNOW someone...

  Click for larger version The wonderful Ayer Library is teaming up with us again this year to provide our community with warm clothing. Stop by Youth Services, take a ticket off the tree return with mittens and warm items to hang back up!  Ayer Library 26 East Main Street Ayer MA  01432