Community center hosts fundraiser to help those in need

PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - A Pitt County community center cooked up homemade soups on a chilly weekend as part of a fundraiser to help those in need.

“I guess the groundhog might have been right this time,” said Bill Kazda, a Joy’s Soup Kitchen customer.
Falling temperatures ushered in what some say is the perfect weather for soup, which the chef at Joy’s Soup Kitchen claims he mastered.

“They started calling me Soup-erman,” said Chef Tom Quigley.

Quigley hosts a weekly soup making competition.

After he gained traction online, people wanted a taste for themselves. So by selling jars of his soup,

Quigley uses the revenue to continue cooking and provide the meal services.

“It was just a huge success, and people started saying, ‘Well, what do you got next?’” said Quigley.

He expanded the operations of the soup kitchen by launching the Joy’s Community Center, where he plans to offer free classes to Pitt County residents each Wednesday.

“If there is a service out there that benefits the people in here, I want it in here,” said Quigley. “You might live all the way on the other side of town and you might need the services that this building can offer you. We are all inclusive with the soup, and all inclusive in every walk of life, too.”

As a born and raised Bostonian, Quigley talked about how he introduced his home style of food to Pitt County.

“All of the soups that I’m cooking are New England specials, not southern specials,” said Quigley. “So, it gives them a little extra treat for that.”

With something new on the menu for each fundraiser weekend, it’s hard to choose a favorite.

“We got the brisket and the bean and bacon.” said Kazda. “Brisket was better, but of course, they were both great.”

“Soup-erman” is taking care of his community, one jar at a time.
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The next chance to take part in the Joy’s Community Center’s free class offering is February 9 from 6:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.