Extended Table Soup Kitchen

The Extended Table Soup Kitchen has been a vital part of LIFT-UP’s service to hungry people for the past 18 years.

The Extended Table was launched in 1995 by members of The Glenwood Mennonite Church, with support from other area churches. The First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs offered the use of their kitchen and fellowship hall to host the soup kitchen, and their generosity has continued all of these years.

The Extended Table was brought under the umbrella of LIFT-UP right from the beginning to make it a community service that would not be associated with with any particular church or individual, and to provide a channel for people to donate to the outreach.

Over the years, many churches, organizations and individuals have volunteered to take from one to five nights per month at the Extended Table, making it possible for the soup kitchen to be run at a very low annual cost. Generally, the volunteer team in charge of an evening also purchases, prepares and serves the food, and cleans up afterwards.

Demand has grown steadily over the years, with up to 1,400 meals served in a month. A typical night will have anywhere from 50 to 80 people in attendance, with an average of around 60. In April of 2013, meals were served to 1,341 guests, with 171 volunteers giving 427 hours to serve their hungry neighbors.

In 2012, an Extended Table opened in Rifle, serving meals each Tuesday from 5pm-6pm in the Rifle United Methodist Presbyterian Church.

The Extended Table has made it possible for anyone in need to find a good meal, along with some much needed social support and encouragement. LIFT-UP sincerely thanks all who have helped keep it going strong over the years.  

The Glenwood Extended Table serves dinners Monday through Friday from 5pm-6 pm; the Rifle Extended Table serves each Tuesday from 5pm-6:30pm.
To find out more about volunteering at The Extended Table, please phone 625-4496.