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Niagara Falls
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Community Outreach chairwoman retires

Elaine Upper has retired from her position as chairwoman of Niagara Falls Community Outreach, also known as the Soup Kitchen.

Upper, who has spent eight years with the Kitchen, five as chair, said although she's retiring, she plans to remain volunteering as a cook on Mondays and helping with Community Outreach's income tax program.

She said she's passed the torch because she wants to branch out and get involved in some other local organizations.

As far as which organizations, she hasn't completely decided yet, but is interested in volunteering at the hospital and said she and her husband have been thinking about joining Meals on Wheels.

“I'm in good health, I love it. I love the Kitchen, but I just decided I want to get involved in some other ways to help.”

With the help of more than 300 volunteers, Community Outreach serves more than 100 meals daily and offers a wide range of other services to those in need, including helping with income tax returns for low-income families and providing outdoor care packages for the homeless in both winter and summer.

This year the kitchen served more than 42,000 meals.

When asked if she would be getting away for a vacation at all, Upper said she and her husband do have plans to take a short vacation down to Florida Keys to visit her son in the coming months.

“But I plan on staying here at the Kitchen for as long as I can do it,” she added.

The Soup Kitchen serves lunch meals from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday to Friday, except Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, New Years Eve Day, New Years Day, and when school buses have been cancelled due to dangerous weather conditions.

Evening meals are offered Nov. 1 to March 31, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., every day.

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