Feed’em Soup is still struggling to make ends meet, but it will use fundraisers and student help to pay off its debt, according to its executive director.

In April, the community service project, which feeds community members in need at a reduced cost, faced about $10,000 in rent and heating bills. Feed’em Soup, 122 S. First St., received fundraising help from fraternities Pi Sigma Epsilon and Phi Sigma Kappa.

After the fundraiser and a food drive, Feed’em Soup received about $400, according to an April 14 Northern Star article.

Executive Director Derek Gibbs said the organization is still struggling but using creative fundraisers to pull through.

The organization plans to work with Sigma Alpha Mu to increase funding, said Joe Frascello, a member of the fraternity.

“We are OK. The fundraising is going OK, and we have a couple of fraternities we cater to,” Gibbs said. “Our fundraisers are going pretty well. Last Friday we had an all-you-can-eat pizza night for $5, and that went really well.

“In March we are hoping to get our bingo license … we will have bingo and then that will help raise a lot of funds, too. We are still in debt, but we are OK.”

Volunteer Noelle Stanbery said help from the college community is always welcome and goes a long way. A former homeless person, she said she volunteers at the kitchen regularly to give back to the community.

“… We are doing better now that the college is back,” Stanbery said. “There are a lot of hungry people out there and not many places in DeKalb where they can go eat for nothing. We want to invite everybody — whether you are rich, poor, homeless, not homeless — if you can donate then donate, if you cannot that is fine. We are going to help you because we know you need it.”

Denise Dolderer has been a Feed’em Soup customer since 2013. She said volunteering as a college student can benefit people later on in life by giving them hands-on experience in how to work for an organization.

To volunteer at Feed’em Soup, go to the organization’s website, feedemsoup.com, and click on the Volunteer & Donate link for dates and times. Anyone 15 years old or older can donate his or her time.

The kitchen serves home-cooked meals 5-7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.