Wayside fills a big need
November 12, 2009
Susan Violet is executive director of the Wayside Soup Kitchen and Food Rescue in Portland. The nonprofit has already distributed a million pounds of food this year, not counting serving lunch and dinner to 250-300 every day, she said.
Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
SUSAN VIOLET
WHO: Executive director, Wayside Soup Kitchen and Food Rescue
WHERE: 252 Oxford St., Portland
PHONE: 775-4939
E-MAIL: sviolet@waysidesoupkitchen.org
AGE: 55
HOW LONG IN THIS JOB: Since April
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Q: What did you used to do?
A: I've worked for Wayside for a little over three years. Prior to this position, I was employed by Wayside as a program director and volunteer coordinator. Prior to that, I worked for Volunteers of America and the (state) Department of Corrections as director of the transition and reunification program.
I also worked many years for the technical colleges. I started as a continuing education instructor and over the years moved into overseeing the apprenticeship program, responsible for overseeing the education of 400-plus police and fire safety students attaining their education credits. I was based out of SMCC for many years and worked very closely with Central Maine as well, and developed business and industry trainings as well, in conjunction with Maine Quality Centers and the Governor's Training Initiative.
Q: Sounds like extensive preparation for the soup kitchen.
A: Oh, well! People don't always understand the full extent of Wayside's work and the impact on all of Cumberland County. There's a lot more going on here than managing a soup kitchen.
We're also Wayside Food Rescue, which sources and distributes food, which might have gone to waste, throughout Cumberland County to food pantries, soup kitchens and a few social service agencies. We help with Milestone, for example, on India Street, and the Friendship House here in Portland.
Social services people don't have a big budget for food. We've already distributed a million pounds of food this year, not counting what we've served. We're doing a lot more than may appear. People can see the line at 252 Oxford St., so they may see us only as a soup kitchen.
But more and more they're coming to understand the extent of what we do. We're a healthy, viable nonprofit; 20 percent of our funding comes from municipal and private grants, and the remaining 80 percent from private donations. The budget is just under half a million dollars.
Q: How long's Wayside been around?
A: It goes back to 1986. It started as a small group of interfaith churches, and in the beginning was mainly serving families and children and elders. It started out at Immanuel Baptist (on High Street), then moved over to Williston West (on Thomas Street), and then the city invited us to come into the resource center, Preble Street Resource Center, which I think had dropped the "resource center."
So Wayside has been serving lunch five days a week and dinner every day, and a meal has never been missed, not in one storm or electrical outage, which is quite a feat. So when you say, "just managing a soup kitchen "
Q: I didn't say "just"!
A: OK! (Laughing.) We recruit and train volunteers from the community There are 85 groups who come in monthly, churches and rotaries and Lions clubs. We also have about 10 businesses coming in on a monthly basis. We have 130 youth groups who come in for service learning opportunities on a regular basis. A lot of groups, businesses and schools do food drives for us, and we're involved in a lot of public and civic engagement, trying to cultivate a greater understanding of what the needs are.
By the way, as of March 1, 2010, Wayside will no longer be serving meals at this location, but in satellite locations in neighborhoods throughout the city. We're looking at the West End, Parkside, East Bayside, Riverton. Preble Street, which serves breakfast now, is assuming service of all meals at the Oxford Street kitchen. Preble Street has decided to expand its services. So this is a great opportunity for Wayside to reach families and elders who need food but would be better served in their neighborhoods, and are as a rule not coming to Oxford Street now.
Q: How many people do you employ?
A: We have eight employees, five full-time and three part-time. We also have two AmeriCorps members helping full-time, one with the kitchen and one with the Food Rescue program. We used 48,000 hours of volunteer service last year alone.
Q: How many people show up for the average meal?
A: Between 250 and 300 people, in an hour. We have seating for 100. So people don't sit very long.
Q: How do you manage?
A: We have to just remind people that there are people standing in line outside. We give them a hot cup of coffee.
Q: Do you have figures on the demographics of the people you serve?
A: It's 73 percent males, 27 percent females. About 1.5 percent are children (under 12). Families don't feel very good about coming in. It's tough downtown, scary for them when there are a lot of people dealing with mental health issues and substance abuse issues. Not that that is representative of all guests. A lot are just coming because they need a warm, nutritious meal. What we're seeing more of is, like Dad coming to the soup kitchen because there's not enough food to feed the whole family at home.
Q: Does this come anecdotally?
A: Our volunteer base, many of them have been coming for 24 years, and they are largely a professional group who understand the meaning of service work. So guests are willing or even ask to speak to certain volunteers or ministers. We also do a survey twice a year, asking basic questions about homelessness, whether people are receiving disability or Social Security, how they are treated
Q: What's the percentage of homeless people who attend the kitchen?
A: Last year I'd have said 70-30. This year I would estimate more like 60-40; the 40 is the homeless, but their percentage is increasing. We served 134,000 meals in 2008. It cost us $2.15 per meal. And that was a 38 percent increase over 2007. It's jumped again, but I haven't done the figures.
Q: Ever turn anyone away?
A: Yes, we do, but not without a bag lunch. We have a behavior model and we've worked very closely with the Portland Police Department, who've been very supportive, to ensure safety.
Q: Do you have a bouncer?
A: We have a couple of staff and volunteers who stand at the door and oversee the line, and if someone is unruly or has had too much, we won't let them in. We have a huge responsibility to the guests and the volunteers.
Q: How often do you call the police?
A: Not as often as you would think. I would say, probably 50 calls a year. Often by the time they get here the situation has been resolved because they know the police have been called And we have EMT calls of course.
Q: What's on the menu today?
A: Well, lunch is always a combination of fresh-made hot soup, and we have hot and cold sandwiches. We also try to serve a fruit salad or coleslaw or bean salad, and milk and tea and coffee, of course.
We also reheat any leftovers from the night before, like macaroni and cheese. And tonight we're serving baked chicken and rice and vegetable, and in the evening there's always a dessert, juice drink and milk and coffee and tea. The focus is on serving a nutritious meal.
Q: Any seconds?
A: No, we don't distribute seconds. It's a very healthy portion and people from around the country who come here are always amazed at the quantity and the quality of the food.
Q: Do you eat the food, too?
A: Oh yes, of course. On many occasions. I spend a lot of time here! The quality is very good, very high. Yes, I cook too, if all else fails! I love working alongside volunteers to prepare and serve meals, knowing that it might be the best part of someone's day.
