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Community Lunch on Capitol Hill 

Description

Community Lunch works with hundreds of volunteers to provide hot meals to the homeless and hungry of Seattle. We serve lunch every Tuesday and Friday at Central Lutheran Church and a 5pm supper every Thursday at All Pilgrims Church. Meals are open to everyone and always free. We provide information and referral services as well as toiletries and a book exchange. About 20 volunteers cook and serve at each lunch to make it very cost effective. We have just 4 part-time employees--everyone else is a volunteer with well over a thousand helping out each year.

Mission Statement
For more than 25 years, Community Lunch on Capitol Hill has been passionate about its mission to provide nutritious meals and hospitality to low-income and homeless adults, youth, and families. Our mission statement: Feeding the Community, Serving the Community, Creating Community. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit and our meals are open to everyone with no questions asked.
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Community Lunch on Capitol Hill
1710 11th Ave 
Seattle 
WA
98122-2420 
(206) 322-7500 

Don Jensen 
Executive Director 

Programs

Community Lunch on Capitol Hill Programs

Community Lunch provides full and nutritionally balanced hot meals to guests. In addition to the main dish we serve salad, vegetables, dessert and fresh fruit. Guests are welcome to line up for seconds and even thirds if they are still hungry. Volunteers also make sandwiches and boil eggs for guests and we usually have full loaves of bread that people take with them.

In addition to hot meals, Community Lunch provides direct services to assist guests in breaking the cycle of homelessness. We collaborate with the Capitol Hill Community Resources Council to provide a social worker. Seattle Mental Health Chaplaincy brings trained staff to each meal to provide information and referrals for guests. Medical students from Country Doctor Clinic offer blood pressure and glucose tests, advice and referrals to the clinic. We work with the health department to provide flu shots, condoms and health alerts. DESC is on site regularly working to house guests who are homeless and mentally ill.

Community Lunch believes strongly in its mission to "create community." We count many guests among our volunteers. Seattle University and UW provide students through their service learning programs.  We partner with Seattle Public Schools to bring developmentally disabled students. We host many youth volunteer groups all through the year from all over the Pacific Northwest and from even further afield

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Community Lunch has been successful at keeping up with a huge increase in demand. Economic troubles are very visible among homeless and very low income people, and we are providing more hot meals than ever before. Our per-meal average is now 250, and we frequently see more than 350 at a single meal. Through our various collaborations we have also been successful at moving some long-term homeless guests into housing and in getting benefits for homeless people who have never had them before.

In 2011 Community Lunch started a third weekly meal, a supper at All Pilgrims Church also on Capitol Hill. Members of All Pilgrims have been enthusiastic volunteers and made this supper with their time and financial support. 

Evaluation


Community Lunch provides full hot meals to homeless and low income people in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Last year they served nearly 40,000 meals, and added a third weekly meal at a second location, now serving at both Central Lutheran Church and All Pilgrims Church on Capitol Hill.

Accessibility and Cultural Competency
Geographically, there are no similar meal programs in their area.  Being highly accessible is a top priorty for the organization.  Community Lunch has an open door policy, where everyone is welcome without the need to sign in, ensuring that the most vulnerable members of the community receive the food they need. We know that asking guests to register in order to eat keeps a percentage of people unwilling to share personal information away, so no sign-in is required.

Sustainability
Community Lunch has a strong base of support, primarily through a large network of local churches and volunteer groups and is on track to meet year end budgetary goals.  However, long term sustainability remains a constant issue for the organization.  Community Lunch has been working with a consultant on a temporary basis on board and staff development around fundraising.  This has been extremely beneficial and leadership are considering ways to continue receiving training and technical assistance.

Use of Best Practices
People are encouraged to come in the door with no questions asked, and then optional services are available should guests decide to take advantage of them. These include social workers who help homeless clients move into housing and who assist low-income clients towards services including those that help them stay in housing.  They also bring in a social security outreach coordinator from a local law firm to answer questions about SSI and provide assistance. Medical students from Country Doctor Clinic in our lobby who take blood pressure, test glucose levels and make medical referrals.  Washington Connection is a web based tool for staff to use to make sure that guests are receiving all public benefits they are entitled to. 

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2013 $10,000.00provide general operating support.
9/10/2010 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/26/2008 $7,500.00support general operating expenses.
6/21/2006 $10,000.00support kitchen and dining area renovations of the Central Lutheran Church.

Financials

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