OTRS Group Nourishes the Hearts of Employees

On Tuesday, July 30, a team of OTRS Group employees gathered in Rock Hill, SC, to help out at the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen. The soup kitchen has been serving the local York county community for

• more than 30 years.
• having offered more than 1,000,000 meals to those in need (as of 2016).

Not Just a Warm Meal

Of course, as much as a warm noontime meal is welcomed by guests who arrive, the soup kitchen aims to be a supportive environment to help those in need in other ways too. Dental services, hygiene supplies and warm winter gear are offered to people whenever possible. The kitchen is supported by the local community through donations of money, goods and food; it is also part of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina that distributes groceries to more than 550 agencies throughout North and South Carolina.

A Special Working Day – Learned a Lot And Helped

This was an inspiring workday for the OTRS Group team who volunteered as part of an ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility effort. The sun was shining as the team, brought together from throughout the US and Germany, gathered after breakfast to head over to the soup kitchen. They had the opportunity to tour the kitchen and ask questions about the ways in which Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen provides for community members. Then, they were set to work: opening cans, peeling vegetables, organizing dishes and such.

Guests arrived about 11:30 AM, and the soup kitchen came alive. The OTRS Group team sprang to action as they built sandwiches, scooped cantaloupe and shared warm welcomes. Guests who visited the kitchen on a regular basis treated one another as family would, gathering to enjoy a warm meal, air condition, laughter and time together. For others, it was a moment of relief as they were welcomed in for their first visit.

On the ride back to the meeting site, the OTRS Group team talked about the experience. The overwhelming sentiment among team members can be captured by a quote found on the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen website from Mother Theresa: If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one. Everyone ended the day feeling motivated to remember this and to continue giving back in their own home towns.