Atika Ali has spent each Sunday of the last month serving meals to the homeless people in her community. She volunteered her time with a local soup kitchen and found the experience to be rewarding and fulfilling.

Each Sunday Atika Ali was asked to arrive around 5am in order to begin preparation for breakfast. Preparation included setting up tables and chairs, preparing food items, and making sure everything was in order. Atika Ali spent the first couple Sundays on setup duty and the last two helping to prepare the food.

The food is donated from local restaurants and food banks in the area. Meals are prepared based on the ingredients available. Some of the staple food items the kitchen always has on hand are bagels, muffins, and oatmeal. On her last Sunday at the kitchen, Atika Ali was asked to slice the bagels and butter the muffins. Other volunteers diced fruit and poured juice.

“To me, the preparation was just as meaningful as the serving of the food,” said Atika Ali. “I loved being able to talk with the other volunteers, hear their stories, and build relationships with them,” she continued. The kitchen has two full-time employees and a handful of regular volunteers to help keep things up and running.

The kitchen is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, with dinner being served on Wednesday nights. Atika Ali noted that the kitchen seats up to 30 people at a time, and they allow people to cycle in and out based on the amount of food available. Most in attendance are regulars, but some vary based on the time of year.

Atika Ali was pleasantly surprised with the chance to be able to interact so closely with the guests. “I never would have guessed I would be able to build so many relationships with these people. They are so thankful for everything the kitchen provides and they made sure to tell me so,” said Atika Ali.

“I don’t think I’ve spent my last Sunday at the kitchen,” said Atika Ali. “I wish everyone could get the chance to volunteer at a place like this.”