Soup kitchen may need new home

NORWICH, Conn. (WTNH) -- A Norwich soup kitchen may soon be looking for a new place to call home. City leaders rejected a plan for the soup kitchen to stay in its temporary home, in part because of declining property values.

St. Vincent De Paul Place came to this Norwich neighborhood in July and while some were glad to see it find a temporary home, not everyone put out the welcome mat.

"A lot of people depend on this. Like I said, kids come here too," Steve Arsenault of Norwich said.

Residents' concerns were heard by The Commission on the City Plan which rejected a special permit to allow the soup kitchen to stay in the former St. Joseph School permanently. Residents told the city and News 8, folks who come here have been seen littering the streets and using drugs in the nearby cemetery. But some say you can't blame the soup kitchen for that.

"We live right across from the cemetery. It's been happening for years, we hate it," Latoya Richardson of Norwich said.

Latoya Richardson and Jacob Serwynski both live in the neighborhood.

"The people here. This place is a blessing and I can understand some people's concerns. And if I remember correctly I don't think there has been one police incident thus far since they've been here," Jacob Serwynski of Norwich said.

News 8's Tina Detelj spoke with the spokesperson of the Diocese and he says he's very disappointed by this decision. He says he feels the commissioners considered everything from permits and property values but not the 200 people who depend on this soup kitchen to eat everyday.

The diocese plans to appeal the decision but didn't know what will happen if that doesn't get resolved by January 12th when the six months are up and the soup kitchen has to be out.

"It's wondering where they're gonna go just wondering where they're gonna go," Christina Roberts-Delaney of Norwich said.

The people who run the soup kitchen and food pantry are wondering that too.