We’re thrilled to share that this past January, we were honored as a regional winner in the Northeast category for the Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards — and it’s all thanks to YOU! As part of the selection process, community members across the country were invited to vote for their favorite nonprofit through the Chick-fil-A app, and your support helped push us to the top. We’re now one of just 56 organizations nationwide to receive this incredible award, along with a $125,000 grant!
A special thank you to Bill Diaco of Chick-fil-A Audubon Crossings and Chick-fil-A Barrington for believing in our mission and nominating us. This grant will help us grow our impact in Camden by expanding our hot meal program, culinary job training, and vital supportive services. Thank you for helping us reach this amazing milestone!
One of our valued partners, Flow Forward NJ, visits Cathedral Kitchen each month to distribute free menstrual products to our guests—helping ensure access to these essential hygiene items for those who need them. Flow Forward began in 2022 as a student-led initiative at Rowan University after founders Sarah McClure and Logan Johnson noticed the lack of menstrual products on campus. The project quickly grew into a nonprofit dedicated to advancing menstrual equity.
Nationally, approximately 16.9 million menstruating women in the United States live in poverty, with two-thirds of them struggling to afford basic menstrual products. We’re proud to work alongside Flow Forward NJ in the fight against period poverty. Learn more and support their mission at flowforwardnj.org.
Although Earth Day was a few weeks ago, our commitment to sustainability continues year-round. According to the USDA, up to 40% of food in the U.S. goes to waste, even as millions of people struggle to get enough to eat. At Cathedral Kitchen, we work to change that by rescuing surplus food and partnering with organizations that share our mission.
In 2024 alone, we received 892,369 pounds of donated food, valued at $1.74 million. With support from our dozens of generous in-kind donors, including farms, grocery stores, and corporate partners, we turn surplus food into meals for our community instead of letting it go to waste! Using ReFED’s Impact Calculator, we estimate that our food rescue efforts in 2024 prevented 1,434 metric tons of CO2 emissions and saved 58 million gallons of water.
Feeding people in need and protecting the planet — now that’s a win-win!
Thank you to the Rowan University Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine for making our first free pet clinic a massive success! They served 55 pets, administering over 100 vaccines, at no cost to their owners! With no veterinary clinics in Camden, access to pet care can be a real challenge, especially for those without a car. We are grateful for this new partnership with Rowan University and are excited to welcome them back for future events! Keep an eye on our social media for announcements.
On March 13, we teamed up with First Step Staffing for a hiring event onsite at CK. First Step Staffing specializes in helping individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, prior incarceration, and veterans find stable employment with the support they need to succeed. We welcomed 25 job seekers—and we’re thrilled to share that 24 were offered a position on the spot! Huge thank you to First Step Staffing for their partnership and commitment to creating opportunities for marginalized communities.
We were proud to host another successful legal clinic on March 27, thanks to our incredible partners at VolunteerUP and the legal team at Campbell’s. These clinics offer no-cost legal support to individuals who may not otherwise have access to it. A total of 39 people were served, receiving one-on-one guidance on issues like expungement, landlord-tenant matters, and more. We’re so grateful to Campbell’s and VolunteerUP for continuing to provide this vital service to our community!
