The Scalabrini Soup kitchen first opened in July 2008 with the support of Pick n Pay who fully renovated and installed the kitchen in the grand hall and Catholic Welfare and Development (CWD) and Department of Social Development (DSD) who supported the cost of ingredients. For the last half of 2008 the kitchen prepared around 35 000 meals distributing them both at the Centre and at various places around Cape Town on a needs basis. Since 2009, the kitchen has been operating on a much smaller scale, offering food during winter only to our Welcoming Programme clients.
In partnership with the Carpenters Workshop, the kitchen is currently preparing meals each Tuesday and Thursday morning for the homeless people referred from the shelter. Coupled with the meal a workshop programme is planned for each morning. The workshop programme is varied sometimes educational, other times designed for relaxation. The programme includes activities such as awareness-raising around HIV/AIDS and T.B., Art Therapy sessions, drumming and movies.
