Organic Soup Kitchen Serves 800 Christmas Meals

Hundreds of people sat down together for a Christmas meal at the Veterans Memorial Building.

Two-hundred volunteers at the Organic Soup Kitchen cooked up and served enough Italian food for 800 people.

“It makes me feel so good. It’s better to give. It feels so much better to give,” said volunteer Barbara Palefox.

The holiday event started at noon and goes until 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

“Every walk of life that Santa Barbara has to offer is in this building today. Sitting next to each other, breaking bread, enjoying an Italian meal,” said Anthony Carroccio, the Organic Soup Kitchen executive director.

It’s a time of year many people look forward to.

“It’s nothing better than to be part of the community because all these people makes part of the community,” said Martin Irabien.

“I wish Christmas came more than once a year. It’s a time where the community actually starts looking people in the eye and reaches out to help us,” said Ravell, a man who didn’t want to give his last name.

The Organic Soup Kitchen served 300 seniors their meal Monday.

Volunteers started their shifts at 5 a.m. Wednesday to make sure everything was ready for four hours of food and music.