In 1977, a group of local students and leaders founded the Community Soup Kitchen as a way to address food insecurity in New Haven. In doing so, they established a cornerstone of kind, welcoming service in the community. Over the past 45+ years, CSK has transitioned from a small guerrilla organization to a recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that now serves over 70,000 meals each year. From the very first meal, we have remained grounded in community care, mutual respect, and a desire to genuinely connect with our guests. Today, we remain rooted in the community of New Haven County and stay tuned into the voices of local residents and leaders.
Since our founding in 1977, we have operated at our present location continuously, without interruption. Community Soup Kitchen is located in downtown New Haven, CT, using the dining room, commercial kitchen, and other facilities of Christ Church Episcopal. We are open 50 weeks a year, closed for two holidays only, and serve for indoor dining and for take-out.
We serve lunch five days per week and breakfast on Saturdays, as well as Tuesday breakfast and Wednesday lunch at other locations in the city. We also provide boxed hot meals to shelters, warming centers, churches, and other places in need. We distribute excess groceries, fruits and vegetables to our guests and others, including local food pantries.
We have no preconditions to the use of our services but make them available without qualification and without cost. The generosity of the community that supports us has allowed CSK to remain a steadfast source of comfort and resources in downtown New Haven, and we will continue to expand our services to neighborhoods across the city until the day we are no longer needed.
We will forever be grateful for the vision, persistence and determination of the core group of women who started Community Soup Kitchen with the first $100 grant from Dwight Hall (Diane Welborn, Meg Sewell, Glenna Barkan, LaRee Delahunt, Joanne Whitcomb and others), the tireless 30+ years of service of our Coordinator and Advisory Board Chair, David O’Sullivan, and the contributions of so many board members and volunteers over the last fifty years. For anyone interested in the documented history of CSK, we invite you to read through our digital archive.
