A Someone Cares Thanksgiving

That the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa, CA will serve over 500 homeless guests a home-cooked meal on Thanksgiving is only possible because of one tenacious woman who couldn’t stop helping other people. 

Merle Hatleberg was no ordinary dame. She founded the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in 1986 at the age of 63, and her legacy of feeding the homeless continues to grow every year. 

Orange County is second only to Los Angeles in the sheer number of homeless. The LA Times reported in 2006 that number as 34,898. The fastest growing area of homeless is families with children. 

Someone Cares feeds approximately 58% of the OC homeless with estimates of as high as 60% of that being kids. Those figures represent on average 300 guests per day, seven days a week. 

Shannon Santos, Executive Director of Someone Cares credits her grandmother Hatleberg for teaching her how to run the kitchen. “I know how to cut a penny four different ways,” is what she used to say. “That simplicity is what makes us successful today.” 

“People generally want to help, it’s their makeup,” Santos said. Running the soup kitchen since Merle passed in 2007, has taught her how to find goods and services that people are willing to donate.

Drivers go to companies such as Trader Joes daily to pick up donated food. Santos explains, “1.3 million in retail value,” was donated just last year by companies such as Albertsons, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Starbucks, Peets Coffee, and Trader Joes.  

“Merle was a nutritionist and a die-hard Angel fan,” Santos said. She served food at Anaheim stadium and from there began to develop her idea to give. Eventually she purchased a building through fundraising. 

In 1997 Hatleberg bought Lee’s Chinese food restaurant which is their location on 720 West 19th Street in Costa Mesa still today. 

According to Santos, there are different facets of the OC migratory population. Surprisingly, a large percentage of these people have a place to live but not enough to eat. Some live in their cars or hotels.  

Some are chronic homeless and are challenged with mental illness. Being indoors and handling responsibility or being accountable is too much for them.  

“I don’t pretend to be a social worker,” Santos said. “But if we can work with the transitory population in the first six months,” there is a much higher success rate for getting them back on track. 

“I have the best job,” Santos said. “I build their trust; engage [them] in honest conversation to gauge where they are and find out directly what they need.” 

Someone Cares works directly with several other non-profit organizations that help homeless include three rehabilitation centers where they can get free help with addiction. They also partner with Women Helping Women to locate potential job openings. 

If someone is in need of healthcare, they provide information about medical services for temporary healthcare. Veterans Affairs and the Mental Health association help with mental challenges such as depression and post-traumatic stress (PTSD). 

Most importantly Santos said, “We create a feeling of family here. These people are looked down upon,” and that’s the last thing they need. People need to be educated more about what homelessness looks like. 

Some people are listening including Kanchan Tailor, 72 and Paresha Acharya, 68 who donate their time and money every year to find sleeping bags to give to the homeless. With the kindness of their own family and friends, they gather donations and purchase these bags so each homeless person has warmth on cold nights. 

And then there is the tireless staff that cooks and cleans non-stop to make everything happen. Lorrie Sanchez is the head chef and has been cooking at the soup kitchen for the past 13 years.  

“Coming to work every day it’s a new adventure,” Sanchez said. “Doing God’s work is really important for me.” 

Sanchez is a single mom with three kids who loves her job. “I love this place.” Sanchez tells a story of sitting in her car crying as she read a letter from one homeless individual expressing their love and appreciation for what she does for them.

 “I’m in the right place. I have a God-given gift in order to do this job – I just know how to put [things] together.” Which is even more amazing when you consider the fact that every day Sanchez has no idea what food will come through the door, but she always finds a way to make a nutritious and delicious meal from it. 

Bryan Jordan, 51, cooks for the kitchen as part of his General Relief hours. At one point he lost his job and was homeless, so he “knows how these people feel.” He said, “it’s hard to be on the streets; can’t get a job … no family. People treat you differently.”  

But Jordan is hopeful, “I’m going to truck driving school. I’m very motivated.” For now he is content to help others, “I love to help. I am a cook by trade, and I’ve been in that line before.” He just wants to “make sure everyone gets treated right.” 

If that isn’t enough the Soup Kitchen also implemented an after-school program for children who live within the neighbourhood primarily teaching K-3rd grade children English as their second language. The parents of these kids are low income bracket or have no means of income at all.  

If you are someone who cares and want to do something about it this Thanksgiving, you can contact the soup kitchen at 949 548-8861. They are always looking for volunteers, donations and corporate sponsors. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!