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Camden soup kitchen reopens in new facility

The glass doors to Camden's gleaming new soup kitchen swung open, and about 70 people - mainly middle-aged poor and homeless men - were offered a smile, a bottle of water and an escort to their tables.

Michael Delgado, left, and Floret Santiago sit in front of the Cathedral Kitchen waiting for its 4:00 p.m. opening. (Jonathan Wilson / Staff Photographer)
Michael Delgado, left, and Floret Santiago sit in front of the Cathedral Kitchen waiting for its 4:00 p.m. opening. (Jonathan Wilson / Staff Photographer)Read more

The glass doors to Camden's gleaming new soup kitchen swung open, and about 70 people - mainly middle-aged poor and homeless men - were offered a smile, a bottle of water and an escort to their tables.

In near silence, they sat down, looked at their plates and ate: meat loaf and potatoes, green beans and white bread, cookies and cake.

A few took stock of the impressive Federal Street structure.

"Oh man, this is nice, isn't it?" said Perry Moore, 54.

And some acknowledged their good fortune.

"It's a blessing of God," said Irving Dow, 51. "There ain't nothing he can't do for us. And I appreciate it."

But few clients realized the unique nature of the new Cathedral Kitchen, a 32-year-old Camden institution that relocated yesterday from a former gym at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Camden.

Cathedral Kitchen is in its first permanent location ever, and it is believed to be the most environmentally friendly soup kitchen in the nation.

The floors are made of recycled tires, the building's interior is awash in sunlight to save on utility costs, and the water at the communal hand-washing sink is low-flow and activated by motion sensors.

The new kitchen is much larger than the old one, which had just one residential stove. Now cooks man two restaurant-size stoves and a grill. And there's a massive dishwasher that will allow guests to eat on real plates, instead of paper.

Planned for more than three years, the building was constructed with $4 million from a variety of sources, including $1 million made available through a 2002 state law that provided $175 million to Camden, one of the country's poorest cities. There were also $250,000 from the Camden Diocese and six-figure checks from anonymous donors.

Many of the clients yesterday were too focused on their daily 4 p.m. meal to realize that Cathedral Kitchen now has bathrooms. There are also showers, laundry machines, a chapel and three rooms for medical, dental and eye examinations.

A social worker will talk with clients during mealtime, and a free 14-week culinary training program will open next year.

The airy and bright space is accented with orange and yellow panels on the walls.

Some clients said the location is a little out of the way - at 15th and Federal Streets, about a 15-minute walk from the former facility. But the kitchen's executives believe the spot near East Camden will attract more families, and children.

Only one child ate there yesterday - the 7-year-old daughter of a mother of five who works part-time for the state Motor Vehicle Commission.

"I actually work for the state, but I'm still running low on money," said Kenyatta Bourne, 27, shaking her head.

More than 90,000 meals were served in 2007. Now, with 15,000 square feet of space, Cathedral Kitchen can serve more guests and store more food, so it can stop turning down donations. Soon it will be open seven days a week, up from five.

Still leading the kitchen is head chef Clyde "Pops" Jones, 82, who began volunteering in 1991.

"These are my people. I don't want to see them mistreated," said Jones, in a New Orleans drawl. "I get cussed at, they call me names. I still come and feed these people. . . . I love them."

Yesterday, with monthly public-assistance checks just delivered, traffic was light. Organizers expect diners to increase within a week.

"It's a dream," said Domenic Vallone, who helped start Cathedral Kitchen on a 13-week trial basis in 1976. "I wanted to come in today and smell the food."

Back then, the kitchen served soup donated from Campbell's and bologna sandwiches with a smiley face drawn in mustard - and maybe a slice of cheese.

Rocky Wilson, who used to help out and returned yesterday to eat a meal, was incredulous.

"Can you believe it?" he said. "It shows you what could happen just by a little seed."