For most families, including our self-styled family here at Soup Kitchen in Provincetown (SKIP), the holiday season is a time for reflecting upon the past. We stroll down memory lane to revisit the mixed bag of times gone by.

Fortunately for SKIP, our memories are mostly good ones, starting with our founding in 1992. That’s when members of Provincetown’s Unitarian Universalist Meeting House (UU), led by the Rev. Robert Hadley, began serving modest daily lunches to a handful of local residents. As word of this new community service spread, the soup kitchen quickly outgrew its UU digs. The larger kitchen at St. Mary’s of the Harbor became SKIP’s next home. But in short order, this new space proved inadequate, and the soup kitchen moved to its current space in the Provincetown United Methodist Church. As the saying goes, nothing succeeds like success.

SKIP quickly became much more than a place to pick up a meal during the Outer Cape’s financially challenging off-season. Our dedicated volunteers found that guests were almost as interested in the socializing as they were in the soup. As our meal options were expanded—today they include daily vegan offerings—so, too, were the opportunities to visit with friends and neighbors during the winter months’ isolation.

Given the way those early volunteers had identified a need among their neighbors, it’s no wonder SKIP has continued to grow our community outreach. Besides the “to-go” meals we prepare for weekends, we’re working in partnership with local experts on everything from nutrition counseling to homeless prevention.

In this season of reflection, SKIP’s proud history fills us all with pride. They say the past is prologue, so you can expect more good things ahead from the volunteers, board and staff of your soup kitchen. Now, there’s one great source of cheer for the new year!

My very best wishes,

Phil

Celebrate CHRISTMAS ON THURSDAY with all of us at the Soup Kitchen in Provincetown! SKIP’s special Christmas meal will be served on Thursday, December 23rd. Please join us for this wonderful event. Lunch will also be served on Friday, December 24th and a weekend takeaway meal will be available as well. NEW YEAR'S EVE will be celebrated on New Year's Eve Eve! That's right, we've got some tasty treats being served up by our volunteers on Thursday, December 30th to help you ring in the New Year early! We're still serving on the 31st where we'll also have your takeaway Saturday meal.

THANK YOU

PROVINCETOWN!

A big shout out to Paul Melanson and Jack Kelly, owners of Tin Pan Alley (and the newly purchased Post Office Cafe!), for hosting the Souper Saturday benefit for SKIP this year. I’d call it kismet that these two host Souper Saturday and are the Holly Folly headquarters (this year at The Box Office), since the two met during Holly Folly weekend in 2011!! 

Paul and Jack opened Tin Pan Alley in April of 2014, and married a few months later in September. They became the new hosts of Souper Saturday the following year in 2015. Both men are pretty passionate about giving back to the community they live in. In addition to supporting SKIP, each year they also host the fundraiser Harbor to the Bay, which supports the Aids Action Group of Boston and the Aids Support Group of Cape Cod in Provincetown.

In March of 2020, when all restaurants were closed by state order due to the pandemic, Jack and Paul had to pivot and figure out what to do with the massive amounts of corned beef they had for St. Patrick’s Day. That’s when they decided to “give it away rather than throw it away” according to Paul. Thus began free Sunday dinners for out of work restaurant workers and entertainers, and eventually all front-line workers. Jack, Paul, and just two other employees did it all! Additionally, when Souper Saturday was canceled in 2020, Jack and Paul knew they had to do something to support SKIP, so they made and sold quarts of soup to-go and raised $1000 for the soup kitchen. These guys are in the right business: hospitality! We are all lucky that Paul and Jack chose to move to Ptown and share their generous spirit with us all.

This month's spotlight is dedicated to our entire team of SKIP volunteers! On December 9th, SKIP held a volunteer appreciation holiday party at Tin Pan Alley. We want each volunteer to know how much we value and appreciate you! Thanks for all you did to make Souper Saturday a huge success, and for all you do everyday! We can't do it without you! Enjoy the pics from the Holiday appreciation party!

Randy King passed away suddenly on November 29, 2021. Randy began volunteering at SKIP in 2019. He had a quick wit and a friendly smile. Randy worked at the Provincetown Tennis Club where he was known as “one of the nicest people in Ptown.” Randy was born outside Iowa City, Iowa where he attended the University of Iowa. He had a career as a fine wine buyer, retailer, and consultant before retiring recently. Randy and his husband Joe moved to Provincetown in the spring of 2017, spending summers here and traveling during the winter months, until moving here year-round in 2019. We at SKIP are very saddened at the loss of Randy King. Our sincerest condolences to his husband Joe and the rest of his family.

DECEMBER 23: Holiday Celebration Lunch 12:30 to 1:30 @ SKIP

DECEMBER 30: New Years Celebration Lunch 12:30 to 1:30 @ SKIP

JANUARY 15: Health Program - 11:30 to 1:30 @SKIP

JANUARY 19: Health Program - 11:30 to 1:30 @SKIP

www.skipfood.org/events

SKIP would love to feature our local talent. If you are a poet, artist, writer or cartoonist, we have a guest columnist section. Space is limited in this format, but please let us know if you would like to contribute to SKIP SCOOP by emailing us at: [email protected]

For those of you that prefer to take out your SKIP lunch, you can now bring your own bag! The Ptown Health Department is now allowing guests to bring in their own reusable bags for take away meals. Bagging must be done at the table after the service line as the bags cannot be placed on the service line. SKIP encourages you to bring your own bag, as this will help us cut down on the expenses in packaging. Thanks in advance & remember: BYOBag!!

HEALTH PROGRAM

The Program involves health monitoring by a registered nurse for any SKIP guest who wants it. A nurse will be on-site to check blood pressure, review medications and answer health-related questions. The program is completely confidential for every participant. It will begin on Wednesday, December 1, and will continue on the first and third Wednesday of each month during SKIP’s season. The nurse will be available from before lunch at 11:30am until 1:30pm on those days. 

HOMELESS PREVENTION COUNCIL

The Homeless Prevention Council has office hours in Provincetown from 10 - 2 daily at the Provincetown United Methodist Church. For more information, please refer to their website. www.hpccapecod.org/provincetown-community-support

TRANSPORTATION

If you are you physically unable to get to SKIP, a friend or neighbor can pick up a lunch for you. If you have no one to ask, we may be able to arrange for delivery. Please call the SKIP office at 508-487-8331 to let us know about your special need. We will see if one of our first shift volunteers can drop it off or if Helping Our Women (HOW) can do it as they did on Thanksgiving.

CROP SWAP IS UP AND RUNNING

It is a program sponsored by the Ptown Health Department, the Ptown Public Library and SKIP. Crop Swap is Ptown’s source for fresh, uncut fruits and vegetables and is open year round. Anyone may donate fresh fruits and vegetables, and all are welcome to take what they need. All fruits and vegetables are free. Please bring your own bag.

Crop Swap is located in the Ptown Library, 356 Commercial Street, to the left as you enter the front doors. Hours are:

Mondays & Fridays: 10-4:30

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays: 10 - 7:30

Saturdays & Sundays: 1 - 4:30

There is a refrigerator for perishable items and shelves with bins for non-perishables, such as potatoes and squash. Be sure to take advantage of this valuable resource. 

GINA LARKIN, Executive Chef| HILARY McHUGH, Office Coordinator |

DIDIER CORALLO, Dishwasher/Utility Person |