Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen serves hope beyond meals

Soup kitchen serves hope beyond meals/Greenfield mural celebrates global friendship

GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — On Main Street in Greenfield, a building that serves hundreds every day is also home to a piece of art celebrating community, both locally and across the world.

Inside the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen, the mission is simple: Serve anyone who comes through the doors, no questions asked.

“Most people think that homelessness isn’t in Greenfield. That’s not accurate,” said Lyndsey Rea, executive director of the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen. “We provide a lot of services here. We serve about 200 meals a day to the underprivileged. We serve anyone, but we’re serving around 200 meals a day.”

Meals are served Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“It’s super embarrassing to have to turn around and ask for something that most people are just able to have,” Rea said. “So, we don’t want to have to ask for food and embarrass anybody. We want them to feel welcome, come in, enjoy the food and company, and then go about their way. This is so they can feel a part of society too.”

Rea said in Greenfield, the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen serves hope beyond meals is an essential place of hope and safety for those in need.

“We have a staff of four, and then we have about 150 volunteers that put together 10 shifts throughout the week where we prepare meals,” Rea said. “We also serve out to what’s called The Landing [Place] for youth, where they do Recovery Café, and just a place where kids can go to have dinners and stuff. So, we send out meals for those.”

On the outside, a new mural is shining a spotlight on that same mission of connection. Painted by Greenfield artist Carl Leck, it honors a 35-year Sister Cities partnership between Greenfield and Kakuda, Japan. In October, Kakuda’s Mayor and a delegation will visit Greenfield to celebrate the anniversary.

“We have the cherry blossoms from Japan, we have the white heron, we also have the Greenfield eagle and the Courthouse, but in the middle of the bridge, is my favorite part, and that’s the two students,” said Lyndi Grubb, president of Sister Cities of Greenfield. “There’s a Japanese student and a student from Greenfield, and it’s really about making that connection and bridging our communities together.”

The mural now stands as a symbol, celebrating both the Soup Kitchen’s mission here at home and a global friendship that has stood the test of time.

“I hope when people are like ‘Where’s that Sister Cities mural at?’ They think of the Soup Kitchen, their cause, the non-profit, and the need in our community,” Grubb said.

The Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen is more than a place to eat. It’s a place where Greenfield comes together.

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