Feeding the
Community.
Serving the
Community.
Creating
Community.
Our history
A unique approach to service
In 1985, a group of members of Central Lutheran of Seattle began providing nutritious meals to low-income, senior citizens in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.
They decided that those served would be treated as guests to encourage
an atmosphere of mutual respect and hospitality. Thus, guests dine on porcelain plates with silverware.
They sit at tables with table cloths and centerpieces. They are welcomed at the door and encouraged to help themselves
to seconds and thirds, more like home than an impersonal soup kitchen. Guests are our neighbors, our friends.
CLCH became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2004. We now host providers such as Street Outreach Services and Country Doctor to better meet the needs of our guests. And we continue to look for new ways to help.
We have grown substantially from that first lunch when nine guests were served. Today we host about 175 low-income adults, youth, seniors, and families at each meal. And our volunteer groups include faith-based organizations, businesses, civic groups, and student groups.
