On this Giving Tuesday, there is an organization in Camden that is pitching in to help.

It only costs $1 for the food in one meal at Cathedral Kitchen. But then one must add in COVID-19-related inflation.

“Here at Cathedral Kitchen, we prepare over 2,000 meals a day. So when you think of the magnitude of those cost increases, it really affects our budget,” says development director Noreen Flewelling. “The food costs and the gasoline cost just to drive our vehicles to deliver meals to shelters and halfway houses and senior residential facilities – it really adds up.”

Cathedral Kitchen is one of many nonprofits participating in Giving Tuesday, with the hope that the community may choose them to donate to. The organization serves the city of Camden and surrounding towns. It also runs a culinary training program and a weekly personal care and grocery market.

“We aren’t getting a bunch of funding from the government. We don’t have the giant funding sources that other agencies do,” says guest service and data manager Jerome Pipes.

Cathedral Kitchen has not closed its doors since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The organization transitioned from serving meals in its dining hall to giving out meals and delivering to shelters. They say that the need is still great.

“If you see the line, the faces are from all ages, young to old folks that are coming into the kitchen. You know you’re giving something back,” says Pipes.

More information about how to donate can be found on Cathedral Kitchen’s Facebook page.