Lorraine's Kitchen founder honored

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - 23 years ago Lorraine Houle founded the Chicopee soup kitchen that bears her name, Lorraine's Kitchen.

85 year-old Lorraine Houle was honored for her work on behalf of the less fortunate. Since founding Lorraine's Kitchen back in 1990, the soup kitchen and pantry provides 30,000 meals every year and helps feed 1,500 families with emergency food.

Lorraine Houle shared with 22News her greatest pleasure: helping hungry people.

“They were all so pleasant and also appreciative of everything we did for them,” said Houle. “Whether it was a little or a lot, they all said thank you so much, and that always made you feel really good.”

The hundreds of people, who came to honor Lorraine at her retirement party, said she had envisioned an agency that's helped thousands who were down on their luck.

Virginia Nehring of Chicopee told 22News, “It was her vision that we should be able to feed people at supper time and that's how the soup kitchen came about.”

Lorraine Houle said she's proud of the impact that Lorraine's Kitchen had made on the community. Helping people with food and clothing and a sense that someone cares about them.