Bloomington Community Kitchen
Community Kitchen was incorporated as a non-profit organization on June 21, 1983. The organization serves free, nutritious meals to anyone in need with no fees or eligibility requirements. The target population of Community Kitchen includes: low-income and unemployed public assistance recipients, the homeless, the mentally, emotionally, and physically challenged, working-class poor, elderly, and at-risk children. In the last five years, Community Kitchen served over 65,000 meals each year - an average of over 200 meals per day.
The mission of Community Kitchen is "to work alone and in collaboration with others to eliminate hunger in Monroe County, through direct feeding services, education and advocacy."
Warm, nutritious meals are available to anyone in need from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. daily, Monday through Saturday.
Carryout Meals are available from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with a limit of 3 carryout meals per person per day (5 on Saturday).
The Feed Our Future program is aimed at providing nutritious meals to children participating in non-profit youth programs (such as the Boy's and Girl's Club satellite at Crestmont Housing Project, Benjamin Banneker Westside Community Center, the Monroe County Community Corrections Department After-School Day Reporting Program, and the Middle Way House "On The Rise" youth program). The Feed Our Future program serves over 4,500 meals a year.
A summer breakfast delivery program has been established to provide an extra source of nutrition to low-income children who are without school breakfast and lunch programs during the summer months.
In our Backpack Buddies program, we send backpacks of food home with selected elementary children on Friday afternoons to help their families with food needs over the weekend. We did that at Fairview in the 2005-2006 school year and will expand into Summit this fall.
We're also beginning Nutrition Links in August 2006. We will partner with Positive Link and Meals on Wheels to deliver meals to local homebound AIDS patients.
Health professionals from Public Health Nursing Association are present each Tuesday during meal time. Representatives offer screenings and provide health information and referrals. Services are confidential and free to all patrons.
Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service presents a nutrition-related workshop once per month at Community Kitchen.
An arts and crafts program for children and adults is offered every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. This program, sponsored by the BAAC through the John Waldron Arts Center, offers patron the opportunity to express themselves through various arts and crafts projects. The program is free of charge.
Community Kitchen prepares meals for home-bound elderly on Christmas and Thanksgiving in conjunction with the Area 10 Senior Citizens Nutrition Project.
Community Kitchen provides 60 bagged lunches per week which are distributed at the Perry Township Trustee's Office.
Community Kitchen has several grant sources. The Community Development Block Grant, administered by the City of Bloomington, offers funds to Community Kitchen to assist with employees' salaries. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides money for food, supplies and transportation passes. United Way of Monroe County works in partnership with the agency, providing about 23% of it annual funding. The Neighborhood Assistance Program of the Indiana Department of Commerce offers 50% Indiana income tax credits to donors who contribute to the agency.
Individuals and groups donate food, supplies, equipment and their service on a daily basis. Approximately 23% of Community Kitchen's financial support come from private individuals. Churches and civic groups contribute another 11% and businesses about 10%.
Other social service agencies offer education and advocacy to Community Kitchen and refer clients frequently.
Community Kitchen participates in several major annual events in the community, with some or all of the proceeds being donated to the agency. These events include: Taste of Bloomington sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce, businesses and restaurants; CROP Walk, an annual walk for hunger sponsored by Church World Services; and the Bloomington Board of Realtors in-house fund drive.
Community Kitchen also raises funds directly from the public in several ways: donation cans located at restaurants and businesses and an annual membership drive.
Volunteers are a crucial ingredient for the success of Community Kitchen. Throughout the day, volunteers donate their time in virtually all aspects of the agency including food preparation, meal serving, cleanup, administrative assistance and many other tasks.
Furthermore, 15 volunteers serve on the agency's Board of Directors, which establishes policies and leads the organization's future endeavors.
Community Kitchen cooperates with several agencies to provide volunteer work opportunities for public restitution and work-exchange individuals, including the Monroe, Hamilton, and Lake County Probation Departments, the Perry Township Trustee Office and the Monroe IMPACT Program.
Several other organizations also offer assistance in the form of volunteer workers, including the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Green Thumb, Indiana University, and local schools, churches, fraternities, sororities, and civic groups.
Volunteer shifts are Monday through Saturday, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Volunteers are also needed for special events and projects. Routinely, Community Kitchen has a shortage of volunteers during the summer months due to family vacations and the absence of students.
If you or your group would like to volunteer with Community Kitchen, call 332-0999 to set up a time.
