About Us
St. Joseph’s Soup Kitchen has a long and distinguished record of feeding those in need in New York City. Our mission is simple: to feed the hungry and the homeless in a warm and welcoming environment every Saturday afternoon.
Not all of our guests are homeless. Some of our guests are unable to hold a job due to mental illness, some of them are seniors from the community, while others are minimum-wage workers whose pay doesn’t cover both food and lodging in the city. Others are temporarily out of work and come to us to tide them over. For over 40 years, we’ve welcomed them all.
The Soup Kitchen fulfills its mission as an all-volunteer organization. The First Presbyterian Church provides our space and covers the cost of utilities. So, almost every penny of every gift goes to the food, supplies and equipment needed to serve the 300+ meals we serve each week.
Our History
St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen (SJSK) first opened its doors in 1976 by the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village. When we first opened, we served an average of 12 people every Saturday, catering to mostly to the elderly in the neighborhood. By the end of 1979, the number of people had increased to 50 every Saturday. In 1981, St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen experienced a significant increase in our operations, and in 1982, Mayor Koch put out a call city-wide for faith-based organizations to help with New York City’s growing homeless population. St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen answered the call, and established our operating structure that continues to this day.
Our highest recorded number of meals occurred in August 1993, with 727 meals served. Today, we average approximately 300 meals every Saturday.
Over the years, St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen grew independent of the Church of St. Joseph, and in June 2015 we made this official when St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen became an independent 501(c)3 charitable organization. This allows us to run a completely independent operation and welcome all people as volunteers as guest.
Most recently, we've relocated our operations to the First Presbyterian Church, who graciously opened their doors to us in December 2019, when we were looking for a new home. Through their generosity, we continue to serve our community every Saturday.
Board and Officers
Board
Connie Fitzgerald | Executive Director
Mike Aleman
Ali Accarino
Janice DeMesa
Past Executive Directors
Steve Fanto (2017-2020)
Christopher Dean (2015-2017)
Connie Fitzgerald (2007-2015)
Miriam Lee (1992-2007)
Pat Dempsey (1980-1992)