Founded in 1976 by four altruistic young people, for over
three decades the
Cathedral Kitchen has been providing meals to the poor and hungry in
the city
of
Camden.
Over
that time, the Cathedral Kitchen has grown from a simple soup and
sandwich
operation into the largest emergency meal program in
Camden,
serving over 7,400 meals each month.
The Cathedral Kitchen is currently located at Broadway and
Federal streets
in downtown
Camden,
in the gymnasium of the former Camden Catholic high school. The
Cathedral Kitchen
operates five days a week, Monday through Friday, and offers a
nutritionally
balanced hot meal to all those who come to the door.
It is hard to believe that hunger could exist in our nation of
plenty, but
the fact is that according to US Department of Agriculture statistics,
fully
11% of families in the
United States
cannot afford to feed their families
every month. Here in
Camden,
nearly one-half (44%) of the population lives below the federal
government's
"poverty" guidelines: their yearly income is less than $21,500 for a
family of four.
The people who come to the Kitchen to eat are among the
poorest residents of
the city: the homeless, the jobless, those with disabilities or
addiction
problems, the working poor. They range in age from infants to the
elderly
--
everyone in need is welcomed at the Kitchen and given a hearty meal.
A volunteer Board of Directors oversees the operations of the
Cathedral
Kitchen. Karen Talarico, the Executive Director, manages the day to day
operations of the Kitchen, and is supported by a staff of eight.
Volunteers
help to serve the food each night, and offer their time and talents in
many
other ways.
Cathedral Kitchen
