‘It’s all about the love’: Emmanuel Soup Kitchen in Sumter continues on despite COVID-19 pandemic

When asked what first comes to mind when she hears the word “volunteer,” Jean Williams said it’s love.
In affirmation, volunteer Harriet Jackson then began reciting the New Testament Fruits of the Spirit verses from the Book of Galatians on Monday at Emmanuel United Methodist Church’s soup kitchen.
“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness …”
Williams chimed in to give any assistance.
“It’s right there, Harriet, right there,” Williams said. “The fruits of the spirit. We got it on the wall in two places so we won’t forget it. It’s all about the love.”
Not even the pandemic can stop Williams and her group of volunteers from serving up a hot meal daily for the homeless and others less fortunate.
Williams and a couple of those volunteers spoke Monday while preparing about 50 to-go plates of white chili over rice, corn and tomatoes, bread and cake for the lunch ministry in the church’s family life center at 421 S. Main St. in south Sumter.
Emmanuel Soup Kitchen, under Williams’ direction and with plenty of community-wide support from churches, civic groups and others, hasn’t missed serving a single meal in the eight months of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
Some changes have been implemented, given safety protocols. Those include the to-go plates and no eating inside, as they did pre-pandemic in a cafeteria-style hall.
Finding some food supplies and ingredients has been tougher during the pandemic, but Williams said she extends to other grocery stores and at times just does without a certain ingredient.
It is traditionally known for serving up a variety of options so those who take the free lunch don’t feel like it’s an impersonal handout, and Williams is quick to note the menu hasn’t changed in COVID-19.
“No, no, I try to always have variety,” she said.
All the work at the soup kitchen, including Williams’ position, is volunteer, but she and her cooking volunteers — who often come from area churches or civic groups — enjoy the work and create laughs and joy, like entrees and sides, daily, they said.
Williams works in the kitchen about four hours per day Monday through Friday, but she begins many meals at her home in the morning, she said. On Saturdays, she distributes bagged lunches to the homeless and others in need that have been prepared by churches.
Many gifts to Emmanuel Soup Kitchen are monetary, Williams said, and she makes all the food purchases.
It all adds up to be a full-time job for Williams, she said, but as long as her health and strength hold up, she will carry on.
When asked if she thinks the soup kitchen ministry is her calling in life, Williams said people tell her that.
“Everybody tells me,” she said, “‘Jean, you know, this is your calling.’ I was like, ‘I didn’t hear the phone ring. Didn’t nobody call me.’”
She loves the people, especially the lunch attendees. She knows them all by name. Some act a little different, but she loves them just the same, she said.
Williams said her volunteer support also keeps her going.
“It’s important to be nice to people and show a lot of love,” Williams said. “I think the only people who are drawn to work in here are people who have a lot of God in them, basically. You couldn’t do this if you didn’t have a certain amount of God in you. It would be too tedious if you didn’t.”