To provide a safe community where guests can find food, comfort and hope for the future in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 80-0617201) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 203 volunteers and 9 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $91K a year · 13% of revenue · last 5 filings
A surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
91% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$68K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
7.9 mo
of spending, in cash
7.9 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $43K
4 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$14K
1% of total assets
Liabilities are 1% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 8 voting members
7 of 8 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$781K
+7% vs prior year
Spent
$773K
To programs
91%
Net assets
$1.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$781K
FY2024▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$684K
FY2021$638K
FY2022$692K
FY2023$729K
FY2024$781K
Expenses
$773K
FY2024-0.4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$333K
FY2021$526K
FY2022$660K
FY2023$776K
FY2024$773K
Net assets
$1.4M
FY2024▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.4M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Dec 2010.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $707K Management & general 5% · $38K Fundraising 4% · $28K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $68K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$68,132Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Cherie Merrill’s $68K as Executive Dir. is at the 71st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1171 $100K–1M food & agriculture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2022FY2021
Cherie Merrill$68,132$61,647$53,544

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Belfast Soup Kitchen executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Offers food, comfort, and hope in a safe, respectful community.

Questions for Belfast Soup Kitchen

Tap to ask. Belfast Soup Kitchen sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Belfast Soup Kitchen answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $707K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Provided hot lunch meals to approximately 393 people per day, 5 days per week. Continued to provide the Kindness Community Market serving an average of 54 visitors per day.Continued to provide local school aged children food through the Help us Stop Hunger programs.Initiated food pantry shelves at three Maine Health locations in Waldo…

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 80-0617201) · Dispute this line
$707Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$781K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$762K
Investment incomeLn 3$17K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$773K
Ln 25
Programscol B$707K
Managementcol C$38K
Fundraisingcol D$28K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$509K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$14K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$762K
Government grantsLn 1e$32K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$487K
Investment incomeLn 3$17K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$230
Total revenueLn 12$781K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$281K
SavingsLn 2$228K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$509K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$838K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$106K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$14K
Net assetsLn 32$1.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
VolunteersI 6203
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$487K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$569K$509K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$106K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$859K$838K
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K$14K
Net assetsLn 32$1.4M$1.4M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$68K$17K$31K$20K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$125K$125K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$10K$8K$1K$684
Payroll taxesLn 10$19K$14K$3K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$3K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$46K$46K
TravelLn 17$6K$6K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$48K$48K
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$438K$437K$47$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$773K$707K$38K$28K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 13, 2025 $781K$773K$8K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 5, 2024 $729K$776K−$47K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 13, 2023 $692K$660K$32K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 6, 2022 $638K$526K$112K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 1, 2021 $684K$333K$351K$1.3M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990
Part I · Summary $780,830 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $714,801$762,469
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $13,054$16,514
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,585$1,847
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $729,440$780,830
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $191,929$221,153
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $584,067$551,759
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $775,996$772,912
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$46,556$7,918
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $780,830 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$32,032
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$730,437
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$486,507
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$762,469
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $16,744$16,744
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission −$230−$230
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $1,847$1,847
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $18,361$780,830
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $772,912 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $17,033 · Management $30,659 · Fundraising $20,440$68,132
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $124,793$124,793
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $7,902 · Management $1,026 · Fundraising $684$9,612
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,248 · Management $2,621 · Fundraising $1,747$18,616
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $4,077$4,077
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $1,498$1,498
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,514 · Fundraising $1,870$4,384
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $45,863$45,863
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,531$5,531
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $47,887$47,887
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,168$4,168
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $436,784 · Management $47 · Fundraising $1,520$438,351
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $706,723 · Management $38,430 · Fundraising $27,759$772,912
Part X · Balance sheet $1,453,366 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $403,710$281,038
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $165,036$228,445
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-5 Loans to officers and key people$0
X-6 Loans to other insiders$0
X-7 Notes and loans receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $859,289$837,889
X-11 Publicly traded securities$105,994
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,428,035$1,453,366
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $6,620$14,392
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $6,620$14,392
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,421,415$1,438,974
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,421,415$1,438,974
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,428,035$1,453,366
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,438,974 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$780,830
XI-2 Total expenses$772,912
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$7,918
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,421,415
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$73,239
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$63,598
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,438,974

Form 990 e-file FY2024 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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