THE DINER, SOUP KITCHEN

Need Addressed:  The Diner assists individuals and families to stretch their limited resources. This type of assistance from The Potter’s Wheel frees money in their budget to pay rent, utilities, and other expenses, and serves to keep some residents who are caught between the expenses of shelter and food from crossing the threshold into homelessness.

Program Description:  The Potter’s Wheel serves a free hot meal twice a week. On Tuesdays The Potter’s Wheel staff and volunteers prepare and serve the meal. On Saturdays the meal is prepared and served on a rotating basis by volunteers from First Presbyterian, St. Mary’s Catholic, Old North Methodist and Eastminster Presbyterian churches. Although some food is purchased, the majority of the food for these meals is donated by Bread of Life, Tri-State Food Bank, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s commodities program, Gordon’s Food Service, Panera Bread, Buehler’s Buy Low, Jim David Meats, private individuals and area farms. 

Mission Alignment:  The Diner aligns with The Potter’s Wheel Ministries’ mission by meeting physical needs among inner-city Evansville residents.

Goal/Impact:  The goal of The Diner is to provide increased food security, improved nutrition and an increase in income available for basic needs for low-income Evansville residents.

Outputs:  Expected outputs for The Diner will be to serve a minimum of 515 hot meals per week during the first six months of the 2009-2010 grant period. During the second six months, 525 hot meals per week will be served. Food trays will be counted at each meal to determine the number of people who were served. A report on the number served will be submitted to the administrator prior to the monthly meeting of the board of directors. 

Outcomes:  The goal of The Diner is an increase in available income, an increase in food security and improved nutrition for our neighbors.