Dear friends,
For more than 32 years, the Community Kitchen has been a community pillar. Co-founded by Action House and Western Theological Seminary, and powered by hundreds of volunteers, the Community Kitchen provides healthy meals, a welcoming space, and connections that help our neighbors move forward.
Last year, we shared that we had begun seeking a new home for a second chapter of the Community Kitchen. We’re excited to announce that the Salvation Army will be our new host for the program! Over the past year, we’ve worked alongside local partners to prepare for a strong next chapter of service:
Through community wide planning efforts, a key takeaway was the urgent need for an integrated service hub—where guests can access many different services in one location.
As part of this effort, the Salvation Army will become the new host of the Community Kitchen, using their commercial kitchen, dining room, and other spaces, and with future dreams to bring other partners onsite to serve our neighbors even better.
The Salvation Army has already contracted with Midwest Construction to enhance their space for this level of service. These extensive renovations are slated to begin in the next few weeks, with a quick construction timeline set to complete this April. As soon as this space is ready, we’re excited to open the doors for this next chapter of Community Kitchen service in our new permanent home at the Salvation Army!
As we prepare for our permanent move, the Community Kitchen will temporarily serve at First United Methodist Church (FUMC). As close partners through the Refresh program, FUMC is a familiar space, and a trusted partner, for both our team and many of our guests. We’re grateful for their generosity.
We’re optimistic and excited for the Community Kitchen’s next chapter—one rooted in collaboration, and the hope of providing even greater support for our neighbors. We’re grateful for the decades of shared service that the Seminary has undertaken with us and our community. We’re incredibly thankful to be in a community with so many partners, like Western Theological Seminary, First United Methodist, the Salvation Army, and so many others, who work alongside us.
Through this season of change, we know that the heart of the Community Kitchen isn’t tied to one building—it’s a reflection of our community’s warmth, hospitality, consistency, and care for our neighbors.
The Community Kitchen has an incredible network of support that believes in this work. In whichever way you may have supported our work over the years—as a volunteer, donor, or advocate—thank you for being a part of our legacy of compassionate, welcoming, and impactful services, and for standing with us as we move into what’s next. You are an essential part of the coming chapter of our work and impact.
Gratefully,
Scott Rumpsa | CEO
P.S. If you’re looking for ways to show up for our team and our neighbors through this transition, we welcome your continued support through volunteerism, food donations, and financial support! Your generosity helps sustain our service as we explore what’s next.
