Household of Faith-Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry

From "Faith" to the Table: The Story of Rosella’s Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry

Every evening, as the sun sets over St. Paul Park, the lower level of Household of Faith Church fills with the warmth of fellowship. The aroma of soup, the laughter of children, and the hum of conversation spill into the hallways like a heartbeat. By 5:30, trays are lined, coffee is poured, and volunteers bow their heads to thank God for what they have to give.

This is Rosella’s Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry—a ministry born from faith, sustained by compassion, and kept alive by the hands of those who believe that love can heal even the deepest wounds.

For over twenty years, Rosella’s Soup Kitchen has grown from serving just two days a week to five, remaining a steadfast place of grace and restoration. We’ve watched the down-and-out alcoholic come in from the cold—trembling, uncertain if anyone could love him again. Yet with each warm meal and every prayer spoken over him, his story began to change. Today, that same man who once walked in broken now stands tall, serving others with joy and purpose.

We’ve watched families between jobs find hope again. They come exhausted and burdened, but leave with groceries, encouragement, and dignity. Their children laugh, help serve dessert, and see church as a safe, loving home.

And then there’s the individual who never knew what family felt like. Through meals, fellowship, and prayer, they learn to lay their pain at the foot of the cross and discover belonging.

These stories happen again and again. Every few years, our church starts over—new faces, new challenges—but always with the same mission: to love, feed, and restore. Guests become volunteers, volunteers become leaders, and some go on to start ministries of their own across the city. This is how faith multiplies.

Inside Household of Faith, life is vibrant. After our Monday–Friday dinners, the church stays alive with recovery groups, Bible studies, and outreach gatherings. But outside stands an old wooden church sign, faded by years of wind and snow—too small for passersby to notice. It’s a quiet reminder that, while our ministry shines bright inside, the world can’t always see the light that’s here.

Our dream is simple: to replace that old sign with a bright, welcoming beacon that tells everyone in St. Paul Park—“In here, you belong.”

For the stranger seeking recovery, the mother too tired to cook, the child on their bike, or the daughter searching for a place for her elderly parents, this sign will shine like hope itself—an invitation from God’s house that says, “Come and see. You are welcome here.”

This sign isn’t just wood and lights—it’s a symbol of open doors, healing, and belonging. We believe that once that light shines again, more hearts will find their way to fellowship, faith, and freedom.

Our fundraising goal is $4,500—to begin the install of a Custom Built Monument LED Signs and strengthen our food ministry through Rosella’s Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry. With your help, we can continue feeding bodies and souls while letting our light shine bright enough for the whole city to see.

We don’t do this work alone. Rosella’s partners with Hy-Vee, Sysco, and Panera Bread in ongoing food recovery efforts. Our community neighbor, Tennis Sanitation, also faithfully supports our Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry. We are deeply thankful as well for the Viola E. Lundeberg Trust, the John J. & Norma A. Foster Foundation, and many other generous supporters whose faith and compassion help this ministry continue to thrive—serving meals, spreading hope, and feeding both body and soul.

The faces of Rosella’s tell the real story—the father who found his way back to faith, the grandmother teaching her grandchildren to serve, the young man in recovery now leading prayer before every meal. Each story is proof that we don’t just feed people—we feed hope.

We invite you to join us. Your gift will help us reach our $4,500 1st goal, for the bright new sign to guide weary hearts home.

Together, we can keep the doors open, the kitchen full, and the light shining for all who need it most.