The St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen is almost out of meat. Photos by John Ross Ferrara.

This week, the St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen served nearly 2,000 plates. But due to a recent lack of donations, the kitchen’s freezer is nearly bare.

Cook Mary Lee Price said one donation could make a difference.

“[The food supply] is at an all time low,” Price said. “In the last 13 years, this is as low as I’ve seen it.”

The kitchen relies on donations from community members and local businesses. Today it received a large donation of bread and sweets from WinCo. However, Price said they are almost out of meat.

The kitchen is also funded by the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop in Eureka, but the store is still recovering from a roof collapse that occurred nearly three years ago.

“We rely on everybody in the community,” Price said. “The revenue from the thrift store helps fund it, but we also rely on community involvement.”

St. Vincent de Paul serves lunch to about 300 people every weekday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Due to a lack of volunteers, the kitchen hasn’t opened on a weekend for more than a year, leaving those in need without a warm meal until Monday.

“We don’t have the funding or the man power to run on the weekends. We’re trying to get it up and running again, but we need volunteer groups to come in,” Price said. “For a lot of people, this is the only meal they get. Not everybody is homeless. Some people just need help.”

The Dining Facility, also provides those in need with access to showers, laundry and public restrooms. Community partners offer onsite medical treatment, legal assistance, mail call and referral services.

Donations can be brought to the facility on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Price said the kitchen is always in need of meat and frozen vegetables, but any donations are welcome.

Those interested in donating or volunteering can call the kitchen at (707) 445-9588.

The North Coast Co-op and St. Joseph Health said in a press release that they plan to donate 400 pounds of meat to the kitchen.

Groceries generously donated by a community member.