After searching for a new place to call home, Lorraine's Soup Kitchen in Chicopee, finally found one in Willimansett. But it may take a while for neighbors to warm up to them.

Shovels broke ground Thursday along Meadow Street in Chicopee for the new home of Lorraine's Soup Kitchen and Pantry. It's fulfilling a dream the volunteers and board members have had for years.

"It will enable us to serve the community by creating our own building and serve neighborhoods where there is a crying need for both food services and meals as well as use of our pantry," said Al Picard, a soup kitchen board member.

Organizers would have liked to stay in the downtown area, but no location worked out. Until Callaway Golf donated the land across from its plant.

"This will give us our own building to meet our own needs for food storage, food distribution, cooking and preparation of meals," said Picard.

But as plans forge ahead, not everyone is happy. Many residents along adjoining streets are concerned about the additional traffic and parking.

"Both streets, Pendexter and Lawndale are extremely narrow. There are posted signs that say no parking," said one resident.

There are 16 spaces in the lot for the kitchen, but additional parking will have to be found.

"We are concerned if there is an emergency and vehicles are parked, it will be difficult for firemen to get in," said a neighbor.

Soup kitchen volunteers say they hope to find other parking in the neighborhood that won't restrict or limit people getting to their homes. Volunteers say they'll begin a capital campaign to raise the $300,000 needed for construction. They plan to have the facility done in about nine months.