By Natalie De La Garza
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The Bread of Life Soup Kitchen has been open for business since Monday and leading the kitchen’s mission to feed those less fortunate is the new volunteer manager, Paul Hanson.
After 24 years in the military and ten years in the private sector, including his current occupation as the kitchen manager for MSAD 24 in Van Buren, Hanson is no stranger to a kitchen — he even peeled potatoes effortlessly while being interviewed for this story.
“I saw the article that they were looking at maybe closing (the soup kitchen) and regrouping, and I figured I had some spare time to get it up and running,” Hanson said.
To get the kitchen up and running once more, it took more than a little elbow grease and a lot of volunteer work to address some longstanding maintenance issues.
“We gave it a face lift, basically,” Hanson explained.
Assistant City Manager Tony Mazzucco is the board of directors chair for the soup kitchen, and he described how humbled the board was by the level of community outreach and support the kitchen has received; Mazzucco specifically cited David Sleeper, who donated both equipment and products.
While the kitchen is up and running to serve those in need, the kitchen itself still has needs that officials are hoping the community will continue to support.
“In addition to volunteers, our biggest need is financial support to keep the heat on and the electricity going,” Mazzucco said.
There will be some projects launched later this year to increase the building’s efficiency, like lowering the ceiling and a few kitchen renovations, and information about those endeavors will hopefully be available on the up-and-coming website and Facebook for the facility and its services — also anticipated to be launched soon.
Hanson wasn’t certain how many would be stopping by for dinner on Monday night, the first dinner service this year, but he knew that the community need for the soup kitchen was great.
“Especially how the winter’s been, with the extreme cold, I think there’s huge need for (the soup kitchen,” he said.
Dinner is served at the kitchen from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
