Over the past few months Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen has been experiencing a steady increase in the number of people enjoying lunch at the soup kitchen, Manager Mike Pilat reports.

From May through August, a total of 15,370 meals were served. August alone accounted for 4,335 meals. The four-month breakdown is as follows: adults: 10,760; senior citizens: 3,382; children: 1,228.

“We could use two or three extra volunteers,” Mike notes. “The increased numbers put more of a strain on all of us.”