Siouxland Magazine - Volume 2 Issue 5

Danielle Tott
Director, Siouxland Soup Kitchen
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on finding a safe way to reopen
The Soup Kitchen for dine-in meals. I frequently find
myself grasping for words to adequately describe just
how much the dynamic has changed here at the kitchen
and in our community. I used to serve roughly 75 people
a night. Now I am serving 130 to 180 people. Three years
ago, I saw 12 kids a week, if it was a busy week. Now I see
40 or more children daily. There is also an abundance of
senior citizens utilizing the program that did not before.
I am striving to find an inclusive way to continue to serve
all these people with the doors open. I am also working
to expand Erik’s closet, the free clothing, and toiletries
program that I started two years ago. I am trying to include
more things such as children’s clothes, household items,
medicine, first aid, and more.
What is your vision for the future?
My vision for the future of Siouxland is a more supportive
social service system for the homeless and povertystricken
individuals in our area. I believe that poverty is
a direct result of a failing education system. I would like
to see programs in the schools as early as elementary
teaching our kids age appropriate financial lessons. As
a single mother who spent years working 2 and 3 jobs
to keep a roof over my children’s heads, I understand all
too well that in low income households, parents are often
too busy working to survive, and important lessons that
should be learned at home often aren’t. I would like to be
a part of instituting classes that teach basic financial and
life skills in our schools.
What are you doing to make that happen?
The Kitchen is currently in a transition phase. We will be
moving onto the Warming Shelter property and there are
hopes that Erik’s Closet will be a stand alone program, with
its own building and volunteers. Once these goals happen,
I plan to reach out to local high schools and possibly boys
and girls’ programs to mentor kids who may not have
the opportunity to gain management experience. The
road to being a Chef is not one well-led by school. It is
all about hands-on learning and I look forward to sharing
my knowledge with some of the underprivileged youth in
this area. As well as teaching the value of service to your
community and fellow humans.
How can people help you make that happen?
The community is crucial to everything I do, every single
day. The things most important to my goals are donations
and volunteers. Financial contributions will help with
our goal to move, build, and expand. Once ground is
broken, we will be looking for volunteers to help with
all forms of construction and moving. Another goal is to
eventually serve two meals a day, which require double
the volunteers I currently work with. Most importantly, it
is the little things that add up to success for this program.
Twenty-dollar donations, a case of water, leftover food
from a funeral, that is what keeps us running. The Soup
Kitchen has a Facebook page. Every like helps. It extends
our social media reach and allows a follower to stay in
tune with exactly what we are doing almost daily. I also
post lists of needs including volunteers, food items, and
more. https://www.facebook.com/siouxlandsoupkitchen/
Volunteer Organizations
Erik’s Closet – Founder
Homeless - Advocate
“I like flaws and am most comfortable
around those who have them. I myself
am made entirely of flaws, stitched
together with good intentions.”
– Augusten Burroughs
Siouxland Magazine | 10 Under 40 / 17