SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Springfield non-profit The Kitchen held an open house and anniversary ribbon cutting today.

On March 27, 1983, Sister Lorraine Biebel used $50 to feed the homeless.

The first meal was served in the St. Agnes school cafeteria and fed 39 diners.

In less than two months, Sister Lorraine and volunteers were feeding more than 200 people.

“Today we’re here in our new O’Reilly Family Campus, and it really is just a great day to celebrate how far we’ve come and our humble beginnings as a soup kitchen to now serving hundreds of people, helping them find a permanent home.”

Today, The Kitchen provides housing to over 600 people a year and provides basic needs to an additional 700 youth.