This coming September will mark 40 years that the Chattanooga Community Kitchen has been working tirelessly in Chattanooga serving our most vulnerable neighbors.
Every day, the staff and volunteers at the Community Kitchen work toward meeting the needs of families, children, men and women -- working not only on meeting the needs of today, but also on addressing the needs of tomorrow.
Their mission is to meet the most basic needs of hungry, homeless and vulnerable people in our community while offering a clear path to self-sufficiency.
The Chattanooga Community Kitchen opened as a feeding program in 1982 when seven downtown churches partnered together in an effort to better meet the needs of Chattanooga’s growing homeless population.
Since then, they have expanded to cover a city block, providing food and supportive services to the homeless and needy of Chattanooga seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Imagine being homeless. Imagine looking for work, but having no address or telephone number to place on your job application. Imagine having nowhere to bathe or heading to a job interview with no clean shirts.
The Community Kitchen is here to help with these basic needs and more. And through all of the services they offer, they seek to satisfy the spiritual and physical hunger of those they serve. There are no fees or requirements for receiving their services. Instead, they provide them out of compassion and love for mankind as they strive to fill gaps in the lives of men, women and children.
"I believe the Chattanooga Community Kitchen is well positioned to make a huge difference in the lives of those who are food and housing insecure," says incoming CEO Baron King, who will assume his new role on May 16. "I am honored to be able to join this great team for this mission."
But keeping their missing alive does not come without a cost, which is where you can help. Most Chattanoogans are aware of the opportunities to serve meals with them on 11th St, but many don’t know about the many other ways they can use their time, talent, and resources to help.
One such way if the "Funds For Food Campaign" where your donation helps feed hungry neighbors and acknowledges their dignity and worth. Your gift of $75 will provide three meals a day to one of your neighbors for a full week. $300 will feed a Chattanoogan for a month. A gift of $3,600 will make meals and services available to one of your neighbors for a full year.
If you would like to donate or learn how to volunteer to help in person, visit www.homelesschattanooga.org to learn more.
The Chattanooga Community Kitchen: help from the heart of the city.