MISSION POSSIBLE is a book with a simple purpose: to spur the development of new soup kitchens where they are needed

The book and the website are underwritten by the Tuchman Foundation, headed by Martin Tuchman, the conceiver of the project and one of the book’s co-authors.

The book contains 14 chapters and 4 appendices. Each chapter is composed of two sections: a two to three page overview of the subject followed by a list of tips, guides to some of the more subtle operations of a soup kitchen.

The book is organized in chronological fashion. It will take you from very conceptual considerations to relatively detailed instructions on the most common challenges you will face. In all cases, our essential goal has been to be practical and helpful.

Since the books release in July 2011 and its availability as a downloadable file, individuals in all 50 states and more than 150 different countries have downloaded the book.

This short documentary explores the root causes of hunger in New Jersey Capital City, and how TASK is working to meet the needs of Trenton's poor and less fortunate.

Latest News & Events

It depends on how you look at inequality, welfare and food stamps
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

David Shipler, the author of Working Poor Invisible in America, writes that "virtually everything worthwhile written about American poverty is essentially about moral failure. It is the failure of the society (according to liberals) or of the poor themselves (according to conservatives)."

Handicapping the Democratic candidates for the presidency in 2020
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

Assembly-line jobs will not be coming back because of negotiating better trade deals, ending immigration or disavowing climate change and allowing companies to flaunt environmental rules and regulations. The primary reason for the decline of Rust Belt-type jobs is automation and it is inevitable.

Democrats need to make it clear that they do not view working-class Trump voters as "deplorables," but instead see them as deserving of the American Dream. They need to clearly articulate a comprehensive program to help those who lost their jobs by re-tooling for the future. It should include providing a combination of health care subsidies and scholarship assistance for their children.

The next mayor of Trenton
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

There are seven certified candidates to be Trenton's next Mayor - Alex Bethea, Reed Gusciora, Darren "Freedom" Green, Duncan Harrison, Annette Lartigue, Paul Perez, and Walker Worthy. With that many candidates and given the ethnic make-up of Trenton, it is unlikely that any candidate will garner more than the 50% percent of the votes needed to win the election on May 8th.

I've come to this conclusion, because five of the seven candidates are African-American. They will, in all likelihood, split the 51% of Trenton's total population that is black. I'm not suggesting that the black candidates will not get any of population that is Hispanic (32.1%) or White (14.5%), but it will probably not be enough, to avoid a run-off between the two top contenders on June 12th.

Republicans are hypocrites on states' rights
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

I can't tell you how many times over the years and on how many different issues Republicans in Congress have justified their failure to act by contending that a particular an action was not within their purview, but instead fell within the jurisdiction of state or local government according to the United States Constitution.

Republicans have consistently asserted that individual states and local municipalities should control domestic policy. They have argued that different states have different histories and cultures and for that reason imposing national policies in various areas is inappropriate. They often argue that since states came together to form the United States, most powers belong to them. Advocates of states' rights generally support their position by referring to political powers reserved to the states under the Tenth Amendment: "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated." Suffice to say that this clause is broad and open to multiple interpretations.

Thoughts on Muoio's successor
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

My last column entitled "The Demise of Mercer County Republican Party" (January 4, 2018), explained the reasons we have had one-party government in Mercer County. In this column, I will make the case that with one-party rule comes a responsibility to promote openness.

On balance, I believe that one-party government under Brian Hughes has served the residents of Mercer County well. I generally have been impressed with the governmental performance of the Hughes administration. Appointments to key department-level roles have been made based on merit. The Freeholders have not rubber-stamped the County Executive's budget and with rare exceptions there have been few hints of political corruption.

Thoughts on Mercer's political parties
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

The Republican Party dominated Mercer County politics from 1979-2003 and now they are completely gone from the scene.

Bill Mathesius followed by Bob Prunetti each served three consecutive four-year terms as County Executive during that period.

With the election of Brian Hughes in 2003 as County Executive the Republicans have been eclipsed at the county-level. How did that happen?

Op-Ed: Drastic SNAP Cuts Would Be Devastating Domestic Disaster
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

In New Jersey, some 850,000 people receive more than $1 billion annually from SNAP to help buy food. Converting the program to a block grant would slash funds

Hunger affects one out of seven American men, woman, and children. Some 42.2 million Americans live in food-insecure households, including more than 13 million children. For this reason, America faces a potentially devastating domestic malnutrition disaster if the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp program) is converted to a block grant program and funding is slashed by $150 billion over 10 years.

With Money So Tight, We Need to Get Rid of Poor-Performing Charities
The Times of Trenton Newapaper
By Irwin Stoolmacher

America faces a potentially devastating domestic disaster the likes of which we have not seen in our history. As more and more charities seek money to deal with escalating problems, private support is stagnant and government money is on the decline.

A recent message received on the Mission Possible website from a Social Worker in Rhode Island

I saw your book advertised in the SUNY Binghamton Alumni News. I am a clinical social worker living in Rhode Island. Part of what I do here is run a transitional house for homeless adults. The Board and I are meeting shortly to consider new projects that we might undertake, as services for caring for the homeless population have undergone some shifts which have presented us with new challenges.

Book receives praise from South Africa

I just want to say thank you for the book. I'm based in South Africa and working with the Ward Councillor who wants to start several soup kitchens for his community. Thank You!

Archived News

Glowing Praise for Mission Possible:

"In these rough and tumble times, when the number of our neighbors who are hungry, or who are coming up short during any given month continues to escalate, the publishing of Mission Possible could not be more timely. The authors have done a great job of taking what was learned at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) and used that base to build a bold "soup kitchen primer". If you want to start a kitchen, make yours more powerful or just learn more, then this is a great introduction. If you see need in your community, don’t wait…read this book, get involved, step UP…we need your help." - Robert L.E. Egger President, DC Central Kitchen Campus Kitchens Project/V3 Campaign

"This is the best and most complete guide that I have ever seen for anyone considering beginning a soup kitchen. Step by step it will guide - it covers everything - but it is so much more. For those soup kitchens ready to do more than provide a meal, this is a guide for you too. Food banks across the country are actively involved in building the capacity of the charities they serve. This is a great tool for doing just that." - Kathleen F. DiChiara | President and CEO |Community Food Bank of New Jersey

"Working in a soup kitchen is one the hardest yet most fulfilling tasks. Most, soup kitchen work is holy work. It’s God’s work. Of course, we need to abolish hunger, poverty, war and nuclear weapons, but as we work for justice, we need to feed our hungry neighbors, for they are God in disguise. This book shows us how to do that. It’s helpful, immediately practical and encouraging. I hope it inspires many people to feed the hungry." - Rev. John Dear, author, The Question of Jesus and A Persistent Peace

"Mission Possible is important and unfortunately most relevant for the simple but urgent fact that growing numbers of Americans go hungry due to the lack of money to purchase food. The authors are well respected leaders in the community with recognized skills and competence in the non-profit sector. This book is an outstanding overview of how to establish or enhance the functioning of Soup Kitchens, using the best practices of non-profit management." - Fran Dolan, Former Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Trenton

"Mission Possible is a practical, deeply inspiring guide filled with basic information on how to start a soup kitchen. It is needed now more than ever." - Loretta Schwartz-Nobel, Author, Growing Up Empty: How Federal Policies are Starving America’s Children; Starving in the Shadow of Plenty

"Almost everyone wants to do something to make a difference. Visionary leaders of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (T.A.S.K) have made a huge difference in the lives of their patrons and in those of us who have been privileged to work with them. Mission Possible is about the best practices that have changed peoples' lives for the better through a soup kitchen. Here's the model. Make a difference!" - E. Roy Riley, Bishop, New Jersey Synod, ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

Want us to Speak at Your Event?

Authors Irwin Stoolmacher and Peter Wise are available to speak at your next conference or event.

Presentation Topics

Soup Kitchens: Band-Aid or Solution?
Are Soup Kitchen's Still Relevant?
How to Start a Soup Kitchen.
Soup Kitchens: Part of the problem or part of the solution?

Learn More

About the Authors

Irwin S. Stoolmacher, Martin Tuchman & Peter C. Wise have more than thirty-five years of in the trenches experience working with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK).

Download Now

Download the entire book (PDF, 5.78 MB) complete with artwork.

How You Can Start and Operate a Soup Kitchen

MISSION POSSIBLE is a book with a simple purpose: to spur the development of new soup kitchens where they are needed