Who can come for a meal?
Anyone! We serve meals to anyone who would like to eat here. There are no forms to fill in, and we don’t ask why you’re here. The staff may talk to people about their situation, to see if there are other agencies that may be able to offer support, but if people don’t want to chat, they are still welcome to eat at The Corner Table.
Who comes to the Community Kitchen?
Some of our guests are homeless, some are isolated and value the friendship of others, some are struggling with health issues and addictions, and some need support through a period of crisis.
The reasons for coming and the length of time people need the service are as complex and varied as the individual men and women who find their way to The Corner Table.
Is everyone who dines at the Community Kitchen homeless?
No – we do have homeless guests, but there are also men and women who work that do not make a sufficient income to be able to provide for their families. We also have many guests who are on fixed incomes. Each guests has a different situation. We are just happy we can provide them hope in the context of a delicious meal.
How many people come each day to the Community Kitchen?
Every day is different – sometimes we serve up to 220 guests, but on average we serve 165 guests in an hour. Other days can be quieter and numbers can go up and down for no obvious reason. Some people have been coming for long periods and others pass through. When someone stops coming we often don’t know the reasons. We are happy to say we have never ran out of food and every guest that walks through our doors is welcomed with a warm nutritious meal.
What sort of food do you serve at the Community Kitchen?
We serve delicious homemade meals including chicken and dumplings, pork tenderloin, chicken pie, shepherd’s pie, meat loaf, turkey, ham, and more. Our kitchen staff works hard to ensure that the meals have a high nutritional value as we are aware that many of our guests rely on the food service here to meet their daily recommended intake across all food groups. We take pride in the food we serve our guests.
What does it cost to receive meals from the Community Kitchen?
Free- we do not charge our guests to eat with us. However, we have many individuals in the community who come in to enjoy our meals, but they leave a donation on their way out.
What other services do you provide?
Our primary focus is providing hot nutritious meals to those in need, but we also provide to-go-bags on Friday’s, opportunities for groups and churches to handout bag lunches on Saturday, frozen meals, and each day guests can take home breads and pastries provided from area grocery stores and restaurants. We also hold health and financial seminars, play bingo twice a month, offer blood pressure readings, and free flu shots when available. Guests also have the opportunity for free shampoos and haircuts with local cosmetologist.
We provide weekend food bags for more than 1,000 students throughout forty+ school sites in Catawba County through the Backpack Program.
What is your inclement weather policy?
In the case of inclement weather, please contact us at 828-464-0355 to see if we are operating on regular schedule. Our automated voice-mail will be updated with any changes or closures by 8 a.m.
How can I help?
There are so many ways! Many people volunteer at The Corner Table. We have around 300 active volunteers, but we are always accepting new ones. We’re always grateful for donations of services – or professional help with our many projects, as well as donations of food or money. If you’d like to help out, please contact us!