Cathedral Kitchen operates almost entirely through private philanthropy, allowing us to provide meals, job training, and supportive services to thousands of our neighbors each year. At the same time, the need in our community continues to grow and evolve, and we are seeking additional resources to help us meet that need.
We currently have a pending request for federal funding through the Congressionally Directed Spending process. This funding would help Cathedral Kitchen strengthen our capacity to serve our community and respond to the growing challenges facing our neighbors.
Our request is currently being considered by the Senate Committee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. [See committee membership here]. The committee receives thousands of funding requests each year, making it especially important that decision-makers understand how strongly their constituents support projects like ours.
If you are a resident of PA, MD, DE, OH, or AZ, one of your senators sits on this committee. As their constituent, your support for this request has a big impact. Please consider showing your support by calling, emailing, or sending a letter to your Senator. You can find contact information for your senator by searching this site. If you have any questions about this process, please call or email Communications Manager, Anna Marchessault, anna@cathedralkitchen.org, 856-964-6771 EXT 129
Follow the instructions below to call, email, or send a letter to your senator.
- Check which of your Senators sits on the Committee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. [See committee membership here].
- Locate your Senator’s phone number. You can find contact information for your senator by searching this site.
- Call your Senator and use the below script
Script: Hello, my name is _____, and I’m a resident of [City, State].
I’m calling to urge Senator _____ to support the Congressionally Directed Spending Grant Request for $3 million submitted by Cathedral Kitchen in Camden, NJ to expand their facility and programs.
Cathedral Kitchen plays a critical role in the community by addressing food insecurity, providing workforce development opportunities, and connecting Camden residents with resources that support their health and stability.
This funding would be a strong investment in Camden and South Jersey. By helping Cathedral Kitchen expand its capacity to meet growing community needs, this project can strengthen our local workforce, improve access to healthy food and essential services, and help reduce costs across our healthcare and social service systems.
I hope Senator _____ will support this request. Thank you for your time and for considering my call.
Dear Senator [Last Name],
I am writing as a resident of [City, State] to urge you to support the Congressionally Directed Spending Grant Request for $3 million in support of Cathedral Kitchen’s expansion.
For 50 years, Cathedral Kitchen has been a vital resource for Camden and South Jersey, addressing food insecurity while helping community members build greater stability and independence. Today, Cathedral Kitchen provides hundreds of thousands of meals each year and offers workforce development, social services, and connections to essential resources for thousands of local residents.
The need for these services continues to grow. Investment in Cathedral Kitchen’s expansion would allow the organization to increase its capacity to provide healthy food, workforce training, and other services to community members who need them most through a one-time investment. It would also strengthen the local workforce and help address some of the underlying challenges that contribute to food insecurity, poverty, and poor health outcomes.
By supporting organizations like Cathedral Kitchen that address needs before they become more costly crises, we can help reduce pressure on healthcare, social service, and other public systems while creating stronger communities.
I respectfully ask you to support Cathedral Kitchen’s Congressionally Directed Spending Request to help Cathedral Kitchen continue and expand its work serving the community.
Thank you for your service to our community and for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
[Name]
