St. Ben's

NEW DOWNTOWN LOCATION: THE GATHERING ON STATE STREET

THE GATHERING ON STATE STREET

Capuchin Community Services - St. Ben’s Meal, 924 W. State Street

The move is complete.  The Gathering at St. James is now The Gathering on State Street.  Coakley Brothers packed and moved equipment, food, pots & pans, carts, prep tables and more on Friday and Saturday, March 24/25.  It took a semi and two delivery trucks.  Gathering staff, board members and volunteers spent Saturday afternoon cleaning, organizing and stocking the new site.

Our first Breakfast on State Street was Monday morning, March 27, with 178 guests.  We were greeted with bouquets of flowers from our friends and new landlords at Capuchin Community Services, St. Ben’s Community Meal – Br. Rob, Dean, Mike and Mark.

 

The move was celebrated on Tuesday with a fire brigade style passing of the remaining pots, pans and food items from St. James to St. Ben’s with the help of 100 Brookfield Central Key Club members and 50 other volunteers.

It has been a stressful AND GLORIOUS process, this move.  Our Capital Campaign goal to raise $50,000 formoving, equipment and renovation expenses was met by April 1.  Donations of money were matched by donations of supplies, time, expertise, creativity and skill. 

 

The space at The Gathering on State Street is much bigger than that at St. James, so we could use more volunteers each morning than we have in the past.  If you and a friend or two would like to join us some morning, please know that we welcome walk ins.  Be at the State Street location, 924 W. State, at 7:00 a.m. and be able to stay until 10:00.  If you have 4 or more volunteers, please call The Gathering office (414-272-4122) to get on the schedule.

 

We are blessed!  People in community feeding the hungry came together,

and I am confident will continue to do so.

THANK YOU ALL!