Community Dining Room

Community Dining Room's Mission Statement:
We are committed to serving the community by feeding the hungry and helping with other basic human needs. We strive to promote public awareness of the impact of hunger and isolation in our society. We are dedicated to helping our guests with their practical needs through referrals and fellowship.

Description:
The CDR is located in the town center of Branford, serving approximately 42,000 meals per year . With more than 100 active volunteers and additional civic and religious groups we provide a hot lunch Sunday thru Friday and every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, a full breakfast every Saturday, a home delivery program to Branford residents, a family dinner with literacy development on Tuesday evenings (this program has a Sister School relationship with Area Cooperative Educational Services ACES), vocational assessment training opportunities for individuals with disabilities and community service Saturdays for youth.
Volunteers come to cook, prep foods, clean, serve and clear dinners, drive home delivered meals and various fund raising activities. Many varied volunteer opportunities are available.

History:
The CDR was begun in 1885 by a group of clergy working to address the needs of the shoreline communities from Clinton to New Haven. The CDR began with its lunch program, adding the home delivery program in 1998. In 2000 we moved, through grass roots organizing and hard work, to our present location in our rehabilitated building just off the town green. Our home delivery program continues to grow, we added our Tuesday dinner and vocational program in 2002, and service Saturdays not long after. We presently provide over 3,000 meals each month.

Contact people:

Patricia Kral, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Melissa Branch, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (203) 488-0447

Address:

30 Harrison Avenue Branford, CT 06405 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.communitydiningroom.org

Directions:

From I95 North take exit 53. At end of ramp turn left (get in the right lane) and then right onto Main Street, following road signs toward Branford Town Center and the green. When you come to the. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: Main Street at Harrison Ave., 2 minute walk

Last updated on May 25, 2009