We take a holistic approach to address the physical, nutritional, and mental health of our community. Part of that approach is ensuring that people struggling with food insecurity have enough to eat.
One of our nonprofit partners for the 2019-2020 grant cycle is Faith Family Kitchen, operating under the umbrella of the Cape Cod Council of Churches. We have supported them since 2016 in providing hot, nutritious meals to our food-insecure neighbors, three evenings a week in Hyannis.
What is food insecurity?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecure individuals and families with children are served at Faith Family Kitchen, and include those who might be homeless, low income, unemployed, or “living on the edge”.
Food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.
How does the Faith Family Kitchen program work?
Volunteer congregations serve families and individuals in a welcoming, respectful atmosphere at Faith Assembly of God on Bearses Way, Hyannis. Families with children are served at 5 PM; other adults at 6 PM. Free food is also available for take away on Fridays in order to provide additional nutritious meals over the weekends when no other free meal services are available in the area. In 2016, the Cape Cod Council of Churches completed a $250,000 capital campaign to rebuild the kitchen to commercial Serv-Safe standards and hire a professional Executive Chef/Program Director to oversee the operation.
You can learn more about Faith Family Kitchen in this video produced by Cape Media News.