A pillar in the community: Jean Williams serves up smiles and great food at Emmanuel Soup Kitchen
It is very often said that love is good for the soul, and it is on full display each week at Emmanuel United Methodist Church's soup kitchen.
Jean Williams and her band of volunteers serve up about 50 to 60 meals to the homeless and others in need each Monday through Thursday at the south Sumter facility that has been open since 1982.
Ms. Jean, as she is affectionately known, has had her hand in operating Emmanuel Soup Kitchen for 28 years and counting.
She recently sat down to discuss the ministry and how people can get involved.
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The soup kitchen, at 421 S. Main St. in the church's family life center, mostly operates from donations of food, clothes and money.
She admits it can be a challenge at times to use the food that is donated, but a creative streak is in every great cook.
Monetary donations do help, especially because Ms. Jean likes to offer a variety of food options and buys forks, cups, plates and various paper products, she added.
Given her time in the ministry, Williams has become a pillar in the south Sumter community, but she takes it all in stride.
"It's not hard work, it's just love continuously," she said. "It takes commitment and dedication, and I just call it love. If you did not love what you were doing, I guess you would not do it."
Of note, Williams only closes the soup kitchen for one week out of the year in August.
"I just tell them, 'Listen, y'all, I just thought I would give you a break from eating this stuff here. You can go home and cook what you want."
Two volunteers per day help her with meal preparation from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then the meal distribution from 1 to 2 p.m.
Volunteers must be filled with love as well, considering their length of stay with the soup kitchen.
"Billy has been here 13 years, Linda 11 years and Sherri eight years," Williams said.
"Minus a little back problem," Ms. Jean says she is doing good and has no plans yet to retire.
"I have no idea how many years I have left," Williams said. "I will just keep doing it until I cannot do it any longer. My brother kept telling me, 'Jean, you know, you need to retire.' I said, 'Oliver, you retired, and now you can't move.' I said, 'I don't think I want to retire.'"