Christmas Dinner at the Good Samaritan Soup Kitchen

HATTIESBURG, MISS. - The sound of cooking utilizes in the kitchen brings music to many people ears. For twenty-three years the Good Samaritan Soup Kitchen and their executive director Terrence Crosby have been serving residents in the City of Laurel an early Christmas dinner.

“You know we're trying to do it for people who don't really have a Christmas dinner, and so they can come into the Good Samaritan Soup Kitchen, and we're having it right here from them today,” Crosby said. “Blessing everybody to have a nice holiday.”

“I enjoy it every year,” Laurel resident, Jerry Boykin said. “I come to the Soup Kitchen and we just have a wonderful time, so I enjoyed it. I just thank God for being here, and I just thank God for the food. Crosby says it's this kind of “thank you” that makes him want to work harder for members of the community. “It makes me do a little more extra work when I see a lot of people come in and bless me, and let me know I did a nice job and everybody appreciates it,” Crosby said. “You never know who really needs it and who doesn't need it. Everybody comes in and tells us that they are really thankful for us feeding them, so you never know.” Many members of the Laurel community find it heart touching that Crosby and the Soup Kitchen are able to give back to the community in such a big way. “Man he blesses everybody with a meal every day. If they don't have a meal he will bless you with a meal every day with love from his heart, and my heart too,” a volunteer at the Good Samaritan Soup Kitchen said. “So y'all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!” The Good Samaritan Soup Kitchen feed more than 700 people Thursday, and they expect to feed even more Friday. After Friday, the Soup Kitchen will be closed the following week and reopen again January 2.