Capital Project Facts
Background:
During its history, the Cathedral Kitchen has moved seven times,
always operating in loaned space. With each move, meal preparation
became more and more difficult, yet the number of dinner guests continued
to grow. The location of the Kitchen on Market Street was never meant
to be permanent. The space was loaned to us and it was woefully inadequate
for the program.
Food preparation facilities provided another challenge—an electric
range and one double convection oven were the extent of the cooking
equipment to serve an average of 350 meals per night. Limited
space in the meager 12 by 13 foot kitchen required that the freezer
and refrigerators be located in the main dining area. There
was no walk-in freezer or refrigerator and very limited storage space
for dry goods. Canned and paper products were stored in the old convent
building, which had no light or heat. Cathedral Kitchen administrative
offices were wedged into the old girls high school locker room, with
filing cabinets shoe-horned into old shower stalls. There was
no room for expansion, either to meet the increasing need for meals,
or to help our guests in other ways. And there was so
much more that could be done.
Our new facility at 1514 Federal Street is the first building project
for the Cathedral Kitchen since it began serving Camden’s hungry
in 1976. The building is just eight blocks from the former location
and on the bus route for easy access to our current guests.
It is a place where the poor and marginalized can come not just for
a meal, but perhaps to visit a doctor, have a tooth fixed, or receive
referrals to other programs from which they might benefit. They
might even come to the Kitchen to learn a job skill—how to work
in a kitchen—which could open the door to self sufficiency.
Plans:
The building floor plan provides for approximately 14,872 square
feet of space to house:
- meal seating for 288 guests;
- weekend hours (not currently available at the current
site) and the ability to serve well over 100,000 meals per year;
- a commercial grade kitchen and extensive food storage
areas;
- a day services area with bathroom, laundry and shower
facilities for our homeless clients;
- additional space for health care services;
- job/life skills training (including food
service/culinary arts);
- social service case management;
- office space for staff and other agencies who serve
the poor; and
- a centralized referral service for the homeless of
Camden.
We are partnering with a number of other organizations in the facility,
including:
- Camden County College to develop a combined food service/hospitality
and work skills training program;
- Project HOPE to staff the medical facility;
- Camden Eye Center to provide vision care;
- A group of New Jersey dentists to staff the dental clinic; and
- AIDS Coalition of Southern NJ to do outreach for clients at
risk of contracting AIDS.
Capital Campaign:
Ninety percent of the $4.2 million capital budget has been
raised and construction financing was provided by PNC Bank.
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HONORING THOSE
WHO HELPED BUILD
A
Home for
Cathedral Kitchen
$200,000+
$100,000 - $199,000
$30,000 - $99,000
$15,000 - $29,999
$5,000 - $14,999
$1,000 - $4,999
In-Kind Donations
How You Can Help
This project is an ambitious one for the Cathedral Kitchen, but one
in which we believe we will be successful, because of the critical
need for the services we will offer. Reaching out to its many
supporters all over the region, the Cathedral Kitchen hopes to build
on the strength that has sustained it through its 30 year history
to fund its dream of creating a permanent home for the Kitchen. If
you want to become part of this exciting development in the Cathedral
Kitchen mission, we still have funds to raise. Contact Karen Talarico
at 856-964-6771 or karen@cathedralkitchen.org.
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Cathedral Kitchen