Turkish soup kitchen serves free food to needy

By Behcet Alkan

NEVSEHIR, Turkey (AA) - A soup kitchen in central Anatolian province of Nevsehir serves hot meals to hundreds of needy families every day.

The project was initiated by the Pending Solidarity and Aid Association, a local aid group, in collaboration with the Nevsehir Municipality, where volunteers prepare and distribute meals to the needy.

Most families come to the meal center to pick their food, while some are delivered food at their homes.

The soup kitchen established at the Nevsehir Municipality's covered marketplace provides a meal to anyone who says they are "hungry".

Fikret Sanlibaba, who heads the the association, told the project is first of its kind in Turkey.

Sanlibaba said there is a cook and four staff working at the project since nearly a year.

He said the project dates back to an old Ottoman era tradition of "pending bread", in which a person would pay for a bread in advance as an anonymous act of charity.

"Everyday, families come with their bowls to our restaurant and take food to their homes. The leftover food is served to those who come here to eat," Sanlibaba said.

Nimet Demirkol, in charge of the soup kitchen, said in its initial days they were only serving soup, but they expanded their menu following support from volunteers.

The volunteers provide the money or even buy the ingredients needed for the preparation of soup, two main courses and a dessert or fruits.