During the coldest months of the year, the homeless population of Utah struggles to survive. The most recent Point in Time count in Utah, which is conducted by End Utah Homelessness, found that a statewide one-night count identified 3,687 homeless in January 2023. This number has been steadily rising along with the number of Utahns experiencing homelessness for the first time, which as of 2022, was 8,637.
The team members of Saints Peter & Paul Orthodox Church Soup Kitchen have seen that struggle to survive up close. They’ve been serving hot meals to the homeless once a month since November 2022. After witnessing the suffering of people living on the streets, they decided it was time to take their mobile soup kitchen initiative to the next level.
Through the months of December, January, and February, the mobile Soup Kitchen, in collaboration with Supporting Trauma Survivors, LLC, is collecting and distributing warm clothing to the homeless.
They are asking for gently used, clean coats, hats, scarves, gloves, socks, blankets, and sleeping bags for adults. Donations of non-perishable, individually pre-packaged food items such as granola bars, fruit leather, jerky, nuts, etc., which will be distributed along with the clothing, are also appreciated. Monetary donations are also an option.
If you want to help save lives this winter, please consider donating used or new items, or making a monetary donation to the mobile soup kitchen.
To donate clothing, put your items in a securely tied garbage bag and drop them off on the porch at one of the collection locations below:
Anne Marck, 1029 S 730 W, Payson, UT 84651
Anne Marie Echols, 94 W 860 N, Santaquin, UT 84655
To make a monetary donation visit: links.servedaily.com/clothing-drive
For questions or concerns about the clothing drive, contact Anne Marck, the coordinator of this project, by calling or texting 385-299-8681 or email annemmarck@gmail.com.
Submitted by Anne Marck
