Soup kitchen in Seoul provides more than just meals to homeless and elderly

Seniors who live alone and homeless people sit together and eat lunch at "House of Thomas," a soup kitchen in Yeongdeungpo District of southwestern Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of House of Thomas

By Lee Hae-rin

People wearing thick winter clothes are packed inside a soup kitchen called House of Thomas in Seoul. Sitting back to back in the 72 square meter facility equipped with a small kitchen and tables with 30 seats, the senior citizens eat rice and three side dishes. Some ask the volunteers for a refill after finishing their meals ― a request they will grant on an unlimited basis.

Outside House of Thomas located in the shanty southwestern district of Yeongdeungpo, dozens of other elderly locals ― and some who have traveled from other areas ― wait in line for a meal amid the freezing weather conditions experienced on Monday.

Opening for three hours from 11 a.m., House of Thomas serves free meals for those in need.

Some of the two dozen volunteers and nuns from the Convent of Missionaries of Charity try to engage with the people who come and make small talk with them while serving up hot meals.

The menu of the day is rice, galbi-tang (short rib broth) with ginseng, stir-fried spicy pork, boiled sausages and green onion kimchi ― all freshly cooked there by the volunteers since the early morning.

People line up for a free meal service around the corner by the House of Thomas in this photo taken on Dec. 26, 2022. Courtesy of House of Thomas

"It feels like today is my birthday. The broth is amazing!" exclaimed one regular who is in his 80s and wished to remain anonymous. "This must be as good as an herbal tonic!" He said that coming to eat in the kitchen is the happiest time of his day and then asked for more soup.

Many come for the meals. But some, who appear to be lonely elderly people in need of social interaction, said they visit for a chance to talk with the volunteers.

Another anonymous visitor in his 70s shared his appreciation for the service after finishing his meal.

"People like us (elderly and living alone), we don't get to have such good meals anywhere. Life is so lonely with all my family gone now. But when I come here, they (volunteers) give us a warm greeting and amazing food. I really appreciate that," he said while sipping a warm cup of coffee served after the meal.

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He said he has been living alone in a car for decades after he divorced his wife and his business went under.

In less than three hours, the soup kitchen feeds almost 300 people. The visitors, ranging from middle-aged to elderly people, are each given about 12 minutes to appease their hunger. They finish what is most likely their first and only full meal of the day.

The soup kitchen was established in February 1993 by Catholic priest Kim Jong-kook ― a.k.a. Fr. Thomas Aquinas ― and was named after him. The soup kitchen has served over 4 million lunches for the most needy and neglected in the disadvantaged neighborhood thanks to public donations. It is open every day except for Sundays and Thursdays.

Park Kyoung-ok, 63, who has been leading the soup kitchen's volunteer group for over 28 years, told The Korea Times that the types of people coming for the food service have changed in recent years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Years ago, it was mostly homeless people who would come here, but it's not like that anymore. We see a lot of elderly people, especially ones who live alone, coming here," Park said, referring to the senior citizens living alone in the underprivileged area located around the corner from the soup kitchen. There are an estimated 500 to 600 households in the area.

Park said one of the regular visitors that she distinctly remembers was a middle-aged lady who "looked just fine." Well-dressed with nice shoes and clothes, the woman said she lives alone in Bangbae-dong, a neighborhood in the affluent southern part of Seoul, and traveled over 10 kilometers to the soup kitchen because "they make good side dishes and serve good deserts (seasonal fruit and rice cakes)."

Two people sit and have lunch at the soup kitchen, "House of Thomas," in southwestern Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of House of Thomas

"She wouldn't even eat a lot, but she said she gained two kilograms ever since coming here, because the food is really good," Park said, explaining that the lady seemed to have come for the emotional comfort she found there.

The experienced volunteers who have served there almost every day over the decades even recognize the regulars and ask how they are doing.

"Hey, how come you haven't been in lately? You seem to have lost some weight, are you okay?" says middle-aged volunteer Choi Geum-deok to a visitor while serving him a hot coffee.

Despite the growing population of elderly citizens, the volunteers and social welfare workers believe the country doesn't offer sufficient support for vulnerable groups.

"We only serve them lunch here, so we haven't been to where they live. But we worry about how they live alone at home," Park said, expressing hope that the local governments and community centers will provide the elderly people of the area with more living and emotional support programs.

A social worker said individual and corporate donations would be more realistic than government subsidies for free meals for elderly citizens, given the soaring demand for social welfare benefits because of the recession and aging population.

Asking not to be named as he was not authorized to speak to the media, the social worker, who has assisted elderly people on the front lines, said there is always a welfare blind spot no matter how hard the government tries to reach out to those who are in need.