Since 1985 St. John’s Kitchen has made a hot lunch available each weekday. We open each morning at 8:00 am offering coffee and breads. When you walk up the stairs to St. John’s Kitchen around lunch time, you are immediately greeted with the buzz of activity. There are people everywhere; some are entering the medical clinic where the psychiatric outreach project has open hours, others are scraping and piling dishes to take to the dishwasher, the serving line stretches past the closet where two washing machines and dryers are constantly at work and where a few people are waiting their turn to use one of the two shower rooms.
The work of St. John’s Kitchen includes volunteers from the community and patrons who together pitch in to prepare and cook the donated food, serve lunch, wash dishes, mop the floor and clean up after each meal. The Psychiatric Outreach Project operates out of the medical clinic at St. John’s Kitchen. It is a creative, integrated approach that demonstrates the way a community can respond to complex poverty and mental health challenges.
Over 1000 people are supported through counselling, medications, and coordinated medical and psychiatric supports. Downtown Outreach offers further supports walking with individuals, finding trust as they deal with income, housing, and supported access to the medical system.
A donation to St. John's Kitchen is a thoughtful and practical way to honour our community, celebrate a milestone, or memorialize someone. Click on the 'Donate' button to explore these options further.
You may donate using our secure online donation page by clicking the "Click here for donation options" button below, or if you prefer to donate through a different manner you can read about our Other Methods to Donate.