Our community kitchen provides fresh and healthy meals to those in need using a combination of ingredients and produce grown on-site, donated or purchased. The kitchen serves lunch and dinner, with each meal including a fresh salad.
The community kitchen program prepares and delivers more than 100,000 meals each year across the Des Moines metro, especially in neighborhoods where poverty levels range from 25–33% (U.S. Census, 2000).
The program is operated by kitchen staff, job trainees, and a network of volunteers, all working together to provide and serve meals. About 55–65% of meals are donated by volunteers, which expands our budget by at least $20,000 per month. CISS’ kitchen training program provides employment to about 15 men and women each year—providing on-the-job training and necessary skills for long-term employment and continued self-sufficiency.
