Our Programs

Congregate Dining

Community Kitchen's congregate dining program integrates high-quality, nutritious meals into programming of community partners. Community Kitchen volunteers plan a delicious meal, aiming for balanced nutritional content with a protein, vegetable, and carbohydrate/starch. A pre-warmed, buffet-style meal is provided for participants, program staff, and Community Kitchen volunteers. Community Kitchen volunteers heat, transport, and serve the food. Our volunteers also share in the meal and conversation with our meal recipients.

Congregate Dining for the 2017-2018 school year partnered with a number of organizations throughout the St. Joseph and Stearns County community. Our Congregate Dining Partners include:

  • Hands Across the World — Bel Clare Estates: A gathering space for children from the Bel Clare Estates mobile home community in Waite Park and the surrounding area, where they can play sports, do crafts, work on homework, and get to know other kids.
  • Promise Neighborhood: a bi-weekly after school program for girls that focuses on developing skills in math, and incorporates fun activities and learning experiences for the girls.
  • Girls on a Rise to Success (G.O.A.T.S.): A bi-weekly after school enrichment program for young women that focuses on building character and leadership skills. The program takes place at the C.O.P. House in St. Cloud.
  • Hands Across the World—COP House: An afternoon program that encourages dialogue between English language learners and native speakers, as well as fun activities for young people. The program promotes the idea of community-oriented policing by establishing a home base for officers in areas with a high volume of police calls. The officers stationed at the COP House are invited to share the meal and get to know the people at the site. Ultimately, the program hopes to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.
  • Dream Center of Saint Cloud: an organization dedicated to helping men, eighteen years and older, face their problems, find wholeness, and successfully integrate back into society.

Volunteer with Congregate Dining

Joe Town Table

St. Joseph's Monthly Community Meal

Joe Town Table is a free monthly meal served by members of the community in partnership with the Central Minnesota Catholic Worker, Saint Joseph area churches, community members and CSB/SJU students.  The meal is held the fourth Sunday of each month at the American Legion Post 328 in St. Joseph. All are welcome!