The Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center provides nutritious meals in a warm, safe and caring environment, free of charge, no questions asked, to anyone who comes seeking nourishment. As part of our hospitality we also encourage and assist our guests in accessing community resources, services and educational programs.
In 2016, we served more than 75,000 breakfasts and lunches and also provided more than 475,000 pounds of food for our guests to take home. But that’s just the beginning! Providing a breakfast and a noon-time meal allows our Outreach Center the unique opportunity to connect with our guests to offer:
- Mental health counseling
- Substance abuse outreach
- Outreach to veterans
- Employment counseling and an Annual Job Fair
- Housing and daily living assistance such as accessing food stamps
- Nursing consultations and health screenings
- Emergency assistance for food, clothing and basic necessities
- English as a Second Language classes and translation services
Our Free Farmer's Markets provide fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy items and meat for guests to take home three times a week. With a generous grant from the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation, we rescue produce from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market, Stop & Shop and local farms. Many mothers with young children come each week to pick up fresh items to cook healthy meals for their families.
Each Saturday, St. Peter's hosts the Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center breakfast and lunch program. Approximately 100 guests are served each week.
