Feed’em Soup, 122 S. First St., is a non-profit organization known for serving the DeKalb area with free community meals for those in need.

The idea for the organization began in January 2010. The economy at the time was poor and a group of 16 individuals from the DeKalb and Sycamore area came together because they noticed people were struggling.

“When we all came back from college, we began seeing things we had never seen before, such as people standing in front of Walmart asking for money,” said executive director Derek Gibbs. “We wanted to do something to help these people.”

The first meal was served in September 2010 and has been served twice every month since. In January 2013, Feed’em Soup will begin to serve meals every Wednesday evening to anyone in the community who needs them. Menus for the meals are listed in advance on the group’s website, feedemsoup.org. Gibbs said the group currently serves one entrée with sides, but workers are hoping to expand the options for meals in the future.

“We eventually want to have it restaurant style where they can order off a menu of five to six entrees to help accommodate our guests’ special dietary needs,” Gibbs said.

During the free community meals, Feed’em Soup hosts a clothes closet for guests. Guests are able to walk into the closet and take some of the donated clothes. The organization accepts money donations to go toward purchasing fresh foods for the meals, non-perishable items and clothes.

The organization does its own fundraising through selling concessions at the Huskie football games; the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St.; and now through its new program, Feed’em Soup After Dark.

This program runs from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Volunteers serve burger sliders, chicken sliders, potatoes and more. All profits from the program go toward materials needed for preparing community meals.

Volunteers are always needed for the meals. Volunteers can sign up online and have the option to choose how they want to volunteer, from participating in kitchen preparation to waitressing. Volunteers interested in helping with kitchen preparation will be required to participate in a new sanitary course that will be held once a month with Feed’em Soup chef Alex Smith.

“We will be going over food handling procedures, washing procedures, dress codes and more,” Smith said. “This will allow me to get more in depth with the volunteers so it can help maintain a safe and clean environment for our guests.”

Volunteer Randi Ackland claimed her favorite part of volunteering with the organization is seeing how happy the volunteers get when helping others.

“The enjoyment that the volunteers get on their faces from helping people in their community is inspiring and motivating,” Ackland said.

Gibbs feels Feed’em Soup differs from a soup kitchen.

“We’re a community kitchen with restaurant quality foods without the prices,” Gibbs said. “We serve these community meals to anyone who needs it.”