Some Cares Soup Kitchen is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit. Merle Hatleberg, who at the time was working as a Costa Mesa site director for an Orange County seniors program, founded the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in 1986. Each day, Merle had numerous people coming to the door at her work place who were hungry but didn't qualify as seniors for feeding. Many of these "people" were school-aged children. She was
usually able to slip them some food, but there was an unmet need that was deeply troubling to her. Drawing on her own meager funds, she bought a large pot and made her first .pot of soup. on June 15, 1986. That first day, Merle served about 30 people and the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen was born. From 1986 until 1997, the Soup Kitchen served its meals – setting up in local churches or at the Rea Community Center in Costa Mesa. In 1997, with the help of many local business fundraisers, the Soup Kitchen was able to purchase a building that used to be a Chinese restaurant. We are proud, along with our dedicated staff and over 150 active volunteers, to have kept the doors open at our location and given our guests a place that they know they are always welcomed. Tutoring Program
Someone Cares Tutoring Program provides an opportunity to serve a population in need of a variety of social services. We believe that feeding both the minds and bodies of the children is vital to their well being. Therefore, in 2001, we implemented an after-school program for children who live within the neighborhood. The program provides after-school literacy and academic achievement assistance services to the impoverished and at-risk students who are in K-3rd grade. The parents of these children are normally in low to very-low income bracket (income based on HUD's Income Report), or have no means of income at all. Most of them also do not speak English. In addition to offering academic support to these children, we provide them meals. By doing so, we hope to help them break the cycle of poverty for them and their future generations to come. The Someone Cares Tutoring Program operates Monday through Thursday from 2:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. We currently serve 45 children, and each child receives 4 hours of individual instruction in the following areas:
Tutoring in reading, spelling, language, math, science and technology for three hours after school. Professional tutors at 15:3 ratio students/tutors. Assistance with understanding and keeping up with homework (as so many of the children's parents do not speak English, they cannot assist their children with their homework). Access to and training on computers and computer software that fosters academic skills and technical literacy. Children are served either a meal or a healthy snack prior to being tutored and a take home snack for the evening.
