AJ’s Restaurant and Bar serves up community support amid SNAP uncertainty

“Nobody should be hungry,” said Wade, a bartender and volunteer at AJ’s. “If I can donate my time and energy to help somebody else, I’m all about that.”

The effort began in early November and quickly gained traction. Donations have already covered the cost of soup for the entire month.

According to Jamaal Allen, a member of the local food pantry board, the support has been inspiring.

“Now we’re looking at going through the December holiday,” Allen said. “It restores your faith in people if it’s ever been faulty.”

Community members like Becky Haysley say trust is a key ingredient in the program’s success.

“People know and trust Alex,” Haysley said. “They know the help will go where it needs to go.”

Goldsmith and her team of volunteers say they’re simply doing what they can with what they have. “The hunger crisis is real,” she said. “In one of the richest nations in the world, no one should have to depend on SNAP to survive.”

For Goldsmith, the weekly soup nights are about more than food — they’re about connection. “It’s your community,” she said. “If we can help each other through hard times, that’s what being human is all about.”

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