CAMDEN – Cathedral Kitchen, the largest emergency meal provider in Camden, has announced that it is projected to serve 70% more meals in 2023 than in 2021, due to the increasing demand from families and individuals facing food insecurity in the city and surrounding areas.
In October 2023, Cathedral Kitchen served 13,000 meals, a record in its 47-year history.
According to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12.8% of U.S. households (17 million) struggled to get enough food in 2022, up from 10.2% (13.5 million households) in 2021. Nearly 7 million of those households faced high food insecurity, meaning families’ normal eating patterns were disrupted or food intake dropped because of limited resources.
In Camden, one of the poorest and most food-insecure cities in the nation, Cathedral Kitchen has been serving meals to people experiencing food insecurity and homelessness since 1976. In 2023, Cathedral Kitchen expects to serve double the number of families compared to 2022; however, the organization is facing unprecedented challenges in meeting the community’s growing needs, said Cathedral Kitchen’s executive director, Carrie Kitchen-Santiago.
“We are seeing more families and children coming to us for help, especially since inflation began to rise drastically in 2021,” Kitchen-Santiago said. “Many families have lost their jobs, their homes, their health insurance, or are working but still struggling to make ends meet. Some have never experienced food insecurity before and often have to choose between paying for rent, utilities, medicine or food.”
To fund its robust programs and invaluable services, Cathedral Kitchen relies on donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, places of worship and other organizations. It also depends on volunteers who help with meal preparation, serving, cleaning and other tasks.
“Our team is doing its best to provide the community of Camden with nutritious and delicious meals every day to address this crisis,” Kitchen-Santiago noted. “We are grateful for the generosity and compassion of our donors and volunteers; however, we need more support to sustain our operations and expand our capacity.”
Cathedral Kitchen is an independent nonprofit not associated with the Diocese of Camden or the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
For more information on Cathedral Kitchen, visit cathedralkitchen.org.
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
