FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Haven, CT – April 1, 2025 – Community Soup Kitchen (CSK) and Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) are proud to announce a strategic partnership that will preserve and expand critical food access and essential resource distribution for New Haven residents in need.

Effective today, CSK will assume the lease on a 5,000 square foot warehouse center at 75 Hamilton Street in Fair Haven, ensuring the continuation of IRIS’s vital Wednesday food pantry that serves up to 650 families weekly. Beyond maintaining the existing food pantry, CSK will introduce take-out hot meal services Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, significantly expanding food access in the Fair Haven neighborhood.

“For over 47 years, Community Soup Kitchen has remained steadfast in its mission to feed the hungry—no matter the circumstances,” said Gregory DePetris, CSK Board Chair. “We are honored to serve those facing food insecurity in New Haven and remain committed to ensuring that every individual and family in need has access to nutritious meals. Through this partnership, the families who rely on the food pantry at 75 Hamilton Street will continue to receive the support they need, while we expand warm meal services to reach more neighbors in need throughout Fair Haven.”

Maggie Mitchell Salem, Executive Director of IRIS, highlighted the partnership’s significance: “This collaboration exemplifies how community organizations can come together to ensure vital services continue despite funding challenges. The food pantry at Hamilton Street is a lifeline for hundreds of families each week, and through this partnership with CSK, we can maintain this essential service while expanding access to nutritious meals for the Fair Haven community and beyond.”

The partnership goes beyond meal services. CSK will leverage donation-center infrastructure at the 75 Hamilton Street location to centralize and distribute essential resources across multiple New Haven neighborhoods. This includes:

• Clothing assistance
• Personal hygiene kits
• Basic home necessities

These distributions will support CSK’s “Closing the Meal Gap” initiative, currently operating at 84 Broadway in Downtown, 5 Hazel Street in Newhallville, 33 Lamberton Street in The Hill, and soon throughout another seven neighborhoods facing high food insecurity rates.

Winston Sutherland, CSK Executive Director, emphasized the community-driven nature of this initiative: “This partnership is made possible by the incredible generosity of New Haven’s residents and businesses. Our ability to expand services depends entirely on continued community support – our staff and volunteers remain grateful for the resources and the opportunity to be of continued service to those in need.”

Johanna Snyder, Food Pantry Coordinator, shared her perspective on the partnership, “One of the most unique aspects of the Food Pantry is its openness to anyone in need within the community. For the majority of the 650 families we serve each week, the pantry is their only connection to IRIS. We take pride in supporting all members of our community—whether they have lived in New Haven for generations or are newer to the neighborhood. This collaboration with CSK ensures that our food-insecure neighbors in Fair Haven will continue to receive uninterrupted access to both hot meals and grocery items, even as we navigate challenging funding environments.”

By 2027, CSK aims to serve 380,000 meals annually, reducing the city’s meal gap by 15%. This partnership represents a significant step toward that goal, demonstrating how local organizations can organize and take action to innovatively address community needs.

About Community Soup Kitchen (CSK)

Founded in 1977, Community Soup Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to feeding the hungry in New Haven, Connecticut, regardless of circumstances. For over four decades, CSK has served more than 2.5 million meals with a commitment to providing nutritious food in a dignified, respectful environment. In 2024, CSK served over 86,000 meals across multiple locations while maintaining a 93% program expense ratio, ensuring donor contributions directly support those in need. Through its “Closing the Meal Gap” initiative, CSK aims to serve 380,000 meals annually by 2027, reducing New Haven’s meal gap by 15%. Learn more at www.csknewhaven.org.

About IRIS

Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help refugees and other displaced people establish new lives, strengthen hope, dare to dream, and contribute to the vitality of communities in Connecticut and across the country. We also provide support to Americans who are sponsoring refugees for resettlement. In welcoming peoples fleeing persecution and conflict, we are honoring our national heritage as a country of immigrants as well as our commitments under U.S. and international law. IRIS helps newcomers with services and support critical to their transition to self-sufficiency and to making local communities across the U.S. their home. Learn more at www.irisct.org.

Contact Information

For Community Soup Kitchen:
Gregory DePetris, Board Chair | 203.535.7670 | [email protected] 

For IRIS:
Maggie Mitchell Salem, Executive Director | 203.562.2095 | [email protected]

How to Support

For more information about the partnership or to learn about volunteer and donation opportunities, please contact the organizations directly.