Our History:

• Founded in 1976, the Cathedral Kitchen (CK) has been in existence for over 35 years.
  

  
  
• In November 2008, CK moved to its first permanent home at 1514 Federal Street, after serving from seven different locations.
  
  

What We Do:

• We serve dinner Monday through Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM and Saturdays from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.
  
  
• Food served at CK is cooked on the premises, plated and served at the table; there is no “soup line”.
  
  

• The hot meal consists of an entrée, side dishes, bread, dessert and beverage.
  
  

• We also provide meals for a local shelter and a local after-school program, as well as provide excess donated food to local pantries, churches and soup kitchens that also serve our client population.
  
  

• In 2010, CK provided over 182,521 meals.
  
  

Culinary Arts Training Program:

• We conduct two 17-week training programs and enroll 40 students per year.
  
  

• The program includes classroom instruction in culinary arts and ServSafe standards, life skills and financial literacy workshops.
  
  

• We provide assistance with job placement to graduates.
  
  
  

Supportive Services:

• Our Case Manager assists our dinner guests and students with housing, child care and other issues.
  
  

• On-site health care is provided in partnership with Project H.O.P.E., the Project Smiles dental group, and the South Jersey Eye Center.
  
  

• South Jersey Legal Services, Inc. provides legal assistance on-site twice a month.
  
  

Who We Serve:

• Demographic make up of our guests is: approximately 60% black, 20% Hispanic and 20% white.
  
  

• Most of our dinner guests are residents of Camden.
  
  

• 40% have not completed high school or earned a GED.
  
  

• Men outnumber women by about 4 to 1.
  
  

• Children make up about 10% of the guests; the elderly another 15%.
  
  

• Many guests are actually homeless; others are living on welfare or SSI; some are employed but do not make enough money to pay for food, especially at the end of the month.
  
  

• Most guests walk or ride bikes to the Kitchen; some come via public transportation.
  
  

• According to census statistics, 38% of Camden’s population lives below the federal poverty level—over a third of the residents!
  
  
  

How We Do It:

• Hundreds of people from all over the South Jersey area volunteer their time and talents each year, filling more than 5,000 volunteer slots to serve the daily meal. Individuals in various professions donate their time and talents to help keep overhead costs down. Our volunteers come from all different faiths and backgrounds.
  
  

• We receive donated food from a variety of sources, estimated to be worth over $200,000 per year.
  
  

• The culinary program is supported by corporate and private donations; local restaurants and food service companies offer guest chef workshops , conduct mock interviews, and provide internships and employment opportunities.
  
  

• Approximately 40% of the organization’s budget comes from donations from individuals. The remainder is made of grants from government agencies, corporations, private foundations and proceeds from our annual fund raisers−Harvest for Hunger, a wine tasting and live auction in the fall, and the Walk Against Hunger each spring.