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REIDSVILLE — The possibility of closing the Reidsville Soup Kitchen put Stephanie Trent on an emotional roller coaster over the past week.

She has felt frazzled and disappointed. She has tossed and turned in bed at night.

But Wednesday, she experienced a different emotion. Trent, the soup kitchen’s executive director, said she burst into tears when a Greensboro couple delivered a $10,000 check.

“I couldn’t even talk,” she said. “There is no way you can express that kind of donation.”

Trent said it’s the largest donation the Reidsville Soup Kitchen has received in its 23-year history. In less than a week’s time, the kitchen has received enough donations to keep it open at least through the winter.

“As of right now, we are over $22,000,” Trent said Wednesday afternoon.

Trent said the organization’s board of directors had been prepared to discuss its financial problems during a meeting Wednesday. Instead, she said, board members were stunned by the amount of financial support the kitchen has received in less than a week’s time.

Trent said last week that the soup kitchen could not pay its operating expenses — which run about $2,000 a month — and was faced with closing next month.

The nonprofit relies heavily on community donations, and Trent blamed the decline in donations on the slow economy.

The kitchen had to cash in its certificate of deposit and get an emergency grant from the Reidsville Area Foundation to remain open for the past several months.

The kitchen served 23,000 meals last year and more than 22,500 so far this year. It is open every day.

Trent said she’s received donations from across the Piedmont Triad, and there are other donations she has yet to pick up.

The Reidsville Lions Club plans to give $1,000, and Trent said she has meetings scheduled with other individuals and businesses in the community who are interested in donating.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com