516 Volunteers Help Greenfield Café Unlock $10K Gift

In a heartwarming twist on Volunteer Appreciation Month, the people who give their time to Stone Soup Café in Greenfield are now giving their dollars too. The volunteer-led fundraising campaign aims to crowdfund 250 individual donations by April 30, which will unlock a $10,000 matching gift from a group of donors.

The numbers tell a powerful story. In 2025 alone, 516 volunteers contributed 9,764 hours to serve 35,248 meals at the café, which operates out of All Souls Church on Main Street. Every week, this growing network of people cooks, serves and delivers pay-what-you-can meals and groceries to their neighbors.

"Volunteers are the heart of Stone Soup Café," says Mike Phillips, board president and fundraiser organizer. "This place is built on people choosing to care for one another, and this campaign makes that visible."

Phillips has been volunteering for more than five years and hopes to raise $1,000 through his personal campaign page. He's inviting anyone who has ever volunteered at the café to participate by donating, sharing their story, or encouraging others to give in their honor.

The café welcomed 346 new volunteers this past year alongside 170 returning volunteers. Together with 1,105 donors, this community provides nearly half of the organization's $680,800 annual budget.

The Ripple Effect

The matching gift structure reflects exactly how Stone Soup Café operates: together, not alone. Development Director Jansyn Thaw worked with a small group of donors to create the challenge grant specifically to encourage broad participation. The $10,000 will be released in portions as the campaign hits key milestones.

Board member Mara Kohls started volunteering during COVID as a way to meet people while giving back. "My time spent during the 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning shift fills my soul," she says. Now she makes recurring monthly donations to give back for what she receives each week.

The campaign shows what's possible when communities invest in each other and build an equitable local food system from the ground up.