Nicole Cohen’s radiant smile has been lighting up Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) for 12 years. For her, the most fulfilling feeling is giving back to those in need.  The simplest task of making others smile and giving back to her community fills not only her heart but also Trenton with the kind of hope that changes lives. The world is never on pause for the poor. Having a warm place to stay and a hot meal could be the difference for some.

TASK’s priority is to feed those hungry in Trenton and improve their quality of life. TASK relies on over 4,000 volunteers each year to provide meals and get those in need back on their feet. Nicole started volunteering at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen when she joined her church in 2009. She has been volunteering ever since, giving hungry people a place to eat and warm up from the harsh winters. “It makes me feel accomplished,” she says, “I have given back to the community, and that feeling warms my heart.” At the beginning of the school year, Nicole volunteered at the soup kitchen with her two nieces and children. They made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and helped children pick out their school supplies for the upcoming school year. “I feel like I have made a big difference in people’s lives, even if it is just a simple conversation with a little boy about which backpack to choose,” Nicole’s son, Bradley, states.

The encouraging and kind staff has made a massive difference in the lives of everyone they help. “Thank God for this place, they have the best staff on Earth, and they genuinely care about you and your needs. The staff is a God sent to Trenton,” one reviewer says. Another reviewer states, “This place saved me when I was homeless, broke, and struggling.” TASK offers volunteer opportunities to several age groups, including children. Nicole involves her children in the volunteering program, which they enjoy. “It’s something that makes my mom happy,” Bradley says, “But it also makes me happy to see the difference I am making.” Nicole believes that by helping her children grow into compassionate young adults, the future generation will give back and help those in need.

Nicole goes on to say, “It is rewarding, yes, but that also includes the heartbreaking reality. These people are hungry, cold, tired; they need a safe place that luckily, TASK can provide.” Even during the peak of COVID-19, volunteers worked hard to accommodate the growing number of hungry people. TASK kitchen increased food production by roughly 80 percent to accommodate the increased need triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even throughout the hard, dark days, there is light. Nicole has shown that she is light for many people who are struggling. “Being strong and being able to give to others is the greatest blessing,” Nicole says. She expresses her values through her services and continues to do so every day.