The Golden Basket restaurant has been a partner with St. John’s, helping to provide meals to our guests throughout the COVID pandemic. This mutual support has helped to grow a lasting relationship between The Golden basket and St. John’s, leaving the Golden basket owner asking, what more could we do? That’s when he thought of “Soup for Good,” a partnership that gives one bowl of soup to St. John’s for every bowl purchased at the Golden Basket. While Chicken Dumpling is a Golden Basket “favorite” we hope you try all their soups and know that the warm, nourishing comfort you feel as you eat is shared by one of your homeless neighbors at St. John’s.
THE NEED
During the COVID crisis, St. John’s has never stopped working as hard as we can to provide care, support and a safe place to seek shelter and remove barriers to self-sufficiency. We know that homelessness doesn’t stop when a crisis happens. That’s why when the shelter season opened this year on Nov. 1, we didn’t just open one shelter site, we opened two shelters 24/7!
Why two 24/7 shelters? Two shelters allow us to comply with CDC guidelines for social distancing for shelters and continue to realize our mission of never turning anyone away due to capacity in the cold winter months. Over the last 15 years, St. John’s has served as our community’s emergency shelter of last resort, the last stop before the streets for those we serve. Without a second site this winter, we were faced with the unimaginable reality of turning away an estimated 61% of those who came to our doors for shelter, because we would have had to limit capacity due to the CDC guidelines for health and safety. Instead, we worked with local officials and a local developer to open a second site at the Bay Lake City Center in downtown Green Bay. More details here.
Having two shelters this season, Nov. 1 – April 30, has meant that we are able to meet the full need of our adult homeless community this winter. It also means that we are feeding more people and at two locations. Partnering on the Soup for Good project, ensures we are able to continue providing warm, nourishing meals throughout our shelter season, with this promotion ending April 30.
HOW TO HELP
It’s actually very simple! Go to The Golden Basket, call in a to-go order, or order for delivery. Each bowl you purchase feeds another person in need. Make it a weekly dinner for your family, tell your friends and co-workers. The more momentum we have, the more bowls get purchased and the more guests at St. John’s get fed. But not only that, the guests at St. John’s will know that community members like you are thinking of them and supporting them with each meal. Give back in this simple way, and make a ripple effect of GOOD in our community with SOUP FOR GOOD!
