Ms. Helen’s spreads holiday cheer to large, diverse group

Ms. Helen’s Soup Kitchen just closed out one of its busiest times of the year, serving “Christmas Lunch” to an overwhelming crowd.
With only three “employees,” the Soup Kitchen relies heavily on volunteers, and it seems that there is rarely a shortage of those.
“We have people who show up almost every day,” said Sandra Trahan, one of those “regulars” in the kitchen at 117 W. Seventh St. “Then there are people like Jim Winston, who is here every Monday morning to help wash dishes.”
Then there are the local civic organizations. Members of the Rotary Club of Crowley volunteer on the second Monday of each month and a contingent from First Baptist Church is there on the fourth Friday. Members of the Crowley Lions Club also volunteer at Ms. Helen’s.
The kitchen further relies on court ordered community service hours sometimes.
“Some of the court-ordered people come in here and really get into it – they’re all over the place helping out wherever they can,” Trahan said. “Some just kind of stand in the corner and wait to be told what to do.”
Nevertheless, Ms. Helen’s is open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, feeding about 200 to 250 people each day. This number doubles in the summer months and on school holidays due to the number of children who visit for a meal.
“And we feed such a diverse group of people,” Trahan said. “Anybody can come, regardless of income level.
“We get a number of laborers in here regularly — people that may have been doing some roofing down the street will come in for a hot meal. We also welcome a number of retired people and those on fixed incomes.”
The facility’s name comes from many years ago when Mrs. Helen John began a mission to feed anyone who came to her door. In 2002, in her memory, a family home was donated to St. Michael Church and converted into a soup kitchen to feed the poor and hungry in Crowley.
Over the years, however, that building fell into serious disrepair and was no longer suitable to fulfill that mission. It was subsequently demolished and a new, more modern facility was constructed on the same site.
The new building has more than double the seating capacity as well as an improved food receiving and distribution operation. Ms. Helen’s serves as the delivery point for Second Harvest Food Bank and Walmart donations of food.
Dry goods are distributed to Crowley Christian Care.
Ms. Helen’s is solely sustained by donated funds from the community through St. Michael Church, with assistance from First Baptist Church and First United Methodist Church.
Ms. Helen’s will be closed through the holidays, reopening on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.