Feed’em Soup Community Project is searching for $35,000 in funds and donations to reduce the possibility of closure.

Feed’em Soup, 251 E. Lincoln Highway, offers buffet-style food services free of charge to the public. It also hosts a pop-up food pantry that provides fresh produce and breads throughout the week, according to its website.

About 54 percent of Feed’em Soup’s operating budget was cut when Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity discontinued its meal plan services which grossed Feed’em Soup Community Project about $70,000 of its $130,000 budget. Phi Sigma Kappa had been receiving services for the last 2.5 years. The bare minimum to keep Feed’em Soup’s doors open is $70,000 and its anticipated income is $35,000.

“Right now we just struggle with funding,” said Joshua Akers, co-founder and vice president of Feed’em Soup Community Project. “We generate revenue by providing services like catering, fund raisers, corporate grants and private donations. The problem is we didn’t have a contingency plan on what was going to happen after we weren’t going to be able to cater.”

Akers said the operating budget includes, rent, utilities, food costs and any other costs associated with services.

Derek Gibbs, executive director of Feed’em Soup Community Project, is the only paid employee. The services rely on 5-10 volunteers per service to assist in food production and serving.

The project began two meal services a month and currently does one service a week, feeding about 50 people at each service, Akers said.

Volunteer Coordinator Noelle Stanbery said she came to the first service, six years ago, with her late husband. She and her husband found a flier and decided to check it out because they were low on funds and didn’t have much food at home.

“I’ve been hungry, I’ve been to soup kitchens, I’ve been homeless, and this is my way of paying back and helping those that need help,” Stanbery said.

Stanbery said she and her husband started volunteering after the first service and she has been there ever since.

Feed’em Soup is currently trying to reach out to other organizations to partner and coordinate to raise funds, Akers said.