Saint Ann’s supports Mercy Soup Kitchen after fire

Volunteers at Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church in Sayville packaged dozens of sandwiches last weekend for Mercy Coup Kitchen in Wyandanch, which experienced a debilitating fire last month.

The relatively new Young Adult Ministry at Saint Ann’s put out a call for donations out last week, with parish members donating a table-full of bread, American cheese, and turkey for sandwiches volunteers created throughout the day Nov. 7 for the burned down soup kitchen.

Mercy Soup Kitchen is based out of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and serves around 140 lunches each weekday to residents in need, with over 46 years in service. On Oct. 18, a fire in the soup kitchen’s entryway caused enough damage to temporarily close the kitchen, and for now, only be able to provide cold lunches.

“Hunger doesn’t stop because our doors are closed,” the Mercy Soup Kitchen Team said on a GoFundMe page created to raise funds their recovery. “Every weekday we remain closed, our neighbors lose a place they count on for a hot meal and a warm welcome. With winter coming and the holidays approaching, getting our kitchen back into service is urgent.”

Since launching their GoFundMe page in mid-October, Mercy Soup Kitchen has raised over $23,000, over half of their $40,000 goal. Despite the fire, the soup kitchen has continued to operate outside in the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church parking lot, with help from groups and people including Jay’s Kitchen Food Truck, the Suffolk County Police Department, and New York State Sen. Monica Martinez.

Wanting to help fellow residents in need, Saint Ann’s Young Adult Ministry member Stephanie Pierce, who learned about the fire working as an EMS, put out a call for donations at Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church alongside Fr. Benjamin Brenkert.

“I just wanted to make sure they had some help over there,” said Pierce.

“Young adults are a hope for the future and [when] Steph presented this project with Mercy Soup Kitchen, and once we heard about their fire, we said we have to step up,” said Brenkert.

With around 10 loaves of bread, and 4-5 pounds of American cheese and turkey, volunteers Pierce, Kaitlyn Crevoiserat, and Dani Knight packaged dozens of sandwiches that were distributed at the Mercy Soup Kitchen this Monday.

“We’re grateful to every person who has given, volunteered or shared. Our guests haven’t missed a meal because of supporters like you,” said Vito Colletti, Mercy Soup Kitchen president, in a statement. “But as the kitchen put it, a parking lot isn’t a long-term answer, and serving outdoors as the weather turns comes with costs of its own.”

To learn more about Mercy Soup Kitchen, and how to donate, visit gofund.me/6afc36b3a.