St. Bonaventure University’s student-run soup kitchen, the Warming House, has been serving six hot meals a week to those in need in the Olean community for over 50 years. 

The student coordinators and volunteers who run the Warming House provide nourishment, company and support to vulnerable citizens in the Olean area. Their service changes lives —  including their own.

On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Franciscan Center for Social Concern (FCSC) will host its annual #GivingTuesdayatBonas fundraising initiative. The crowdfunding event aims to raise $75,000 for social justice, advocacy and service programs on campus.

“Every donation, large or small, allows our students the opportunity to put their Franciscan values to work in the local community,” said Alice Miller Nation, director of University Ministries.

Among the student volunteers is Bowen Slotman, a junior Accounting and Military Science major. For the past three years, Slotman has arranged his course schedule to keep his Friday afternoons open for a shift at the Warming House. 

Each week, Slotman joins a group of student coordinators and volunteers at the Warming House to start putting together a meal at 2 p.m. that will be served to anywhere between 15 and 55 people at 4 p.m.

Through rotating groups of volunteers and coordinators, Slotman has remained a steady presence on Friday afternoons, always willing to step in wherever he is needed. 

When Slotman first visited the Bonaventure campus, it felt a bit too small. But he was drawn in on his second visit after observing how friendly the students were and how the professors went out of their way to talk with the new families. 

Slotman started volunteering at the Warming House soon after arriving on campus. Having previously been a Boy Scout, Slotman said he came to Bonaventure instilled with a commitment to service.

Slotman also joined ROTC during his first year, noting that his experience at the Warming House will be applicable to his goal of becoming an officer in the Army.

“The experience has taught me empathy and compassion for others, which will help me as an officer in the Army,” said Slotman. “There is a time to be strict and there is a time to take a step back and understand what the other person is going through. This experience will make me a better officer.”

Slotman also said the weekly visits to the Warming House have helped him to improve his leadership and critical thinking skills. 

“I have learned a lot about teamwork and working with others,” said Slotman. “There are a lot of opportunities to problem solve. Every day at the Warming House, something happens that was not planned or anticipated. It is a great experience with looking at a challenge and having the chance to figure something out that will work in a unique situation.”

As a student Admissions Ambassador who gives tours to incoming students, Slotman said he always encourages the new students to give a volunteer shift at the Warming House a try.

Located at 164 N. Union St. and operated by the university’s FCSC, the oldest student-run soup kitchen in the country offers hot and nutritious meals from Sunday to Friday with the help of student and community volunteers.

It also partners with the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany’s Canticle Farm to provide fresh produce. Both takeout and dine-in options are available. 

The community is encouraged to visit https://bonniesgive.sbu.edu/giving-tuesday-at-bonas now through Dec. 2 to learn more and to donate.

For more information or to make a gift by phone, please contact SBU’s Advancement Services at (716) 375-2364.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).