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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

http://www.trentonsoupkitchen.org/

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, 72 1/2 Escher Street, Trenton, NJ (2026)

08/28/2026

Pool days may be winding down this summer, but you can still make a splash!

We are excited to share that the Pennington Stop & Shop (800 F Denow Road) has selected TASK as the beneficiary of their Bloomin' 4 Good program during the month of August! This program provides a meaningful opportunity to grow awareness and support for our mission within the community.

Here’s how it works: For every specially marked $11.99 Bloomin’ 4 Good bouquet purchased at the Pennington store, Stop & Shop will donate $1 to TASK!

It’s that simple, and it adds up fast. Each bouquet purchased is a small action that helps us continue to fulfill our mission to feed more people across the Trenton area.
The more bouquets purchased, the greater the impact! So make these last days of summer count with a fresh bouquet that does some good.

Thank you for helping turn everyday shopping into meaningful support for the TASK community!

08/27/2026

TASK team members recently traveled to Brooklyn for the 2026 Catalyst Kitchens Northeast Regional Summit!

Catalyst Kitchens, a national network of member organizations who provide workforce development programs focused on culinary training, brought together like-minded professionals from across the region to exchange ideas, share best practices and explore innovative ways to help people build skills and create pathways to meaningful employment.

Highlighting member partners like Brownsville Culinary Community Center, Emma’s Torch, Drive Change NYC, The Door, and Project Renewal, the TASK team returned to Trenton energized by new connections and fresh ideas that will strengthen TASK’s culinary training and workforce-development efforts.

In addition, the TASK team was thrilled to cheer on TASK Director of Culinary Operations, Chef Adam Livow, who was named the David Carleton Catalyst for Change Winner for his leadership of Emilio's Culinary Academy, TASK's culinary training program. Congratulations, Chef Adam!

At TASK, we believe that learning is a lifelong pursuit for everyone, and we are grateful for opportunities like this that help our team learn, grow and bring even greater impact home to the Trenton community.

Pictured here (left to right): TASK CEO Amy Flynn, Finance Manager Tamara Haspil, Chef Adam Livow, COO Paul Jensen, Director of Education & Employment Mia Hart, and Workforce Readiness Coordinator Daniel Reyes.

08/25/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

You're invited to TASK's fifth annual community meal on Friday, September 25 -- just one month from today!

The event will feature a BBQ lunch prepared by TASK’s kitchen to be served under a tent at Capital City Farm, located next door to TASK, as well as entertainment from TASK’s band, The FunkTASKtiks. Street parking along Escher Street will be limited. There are entrances to Capital City Farm at the end of Escher Street and on Clinton Avenue.

We encourage you to arrive anytime between 11:00am and 12:30pm. Lunch will end at 1:00pm and we hope you will then join us indoors for a brief awards ceremony. This year, we are pleased to recognize Princeton Area Community Foundation, the Meal Recovery Coalition, Brenda Whitaker from HomeFront and more!

This event is always a highlight of our year and serves as an opportunity to recognize Hunger Action Month, a time when hunger relief nonprofits like TASK join together to raise awareness about food insecurity across the country. Your support is incredibly meaningful and important to us, and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with you in our quest for a hunger-free tomorrow. We hope that we can celebrate you and the entire TASK community with good food and good company on September 25!

08/20/2026

On their website, Genmab has a unique way of describing the kind of person they want for their team: "the extra[not]ordinary."®

Genmab coined this phrase to embody their culture “to go way beyond what is usual; to be remarkable.” While their desire to change lives is rooted in science and their groundbreaking work in cancer care, the company’s philosophy extends well beyond its Princeton office and into the Trenton community.

Through a generous grantmaking program, Genmab’s financial support has not only provided vital stability to TASK’s programs but has also helped to underwrite a variety of team-based service projects including the creation of hygiene kits, PB&J meal bags and more.

Not only do they give monetarily, the Genmab team shows up – literally! Their employees volunteer on-site during meal service each quarter, bringing enthusiasm, professionalism and heart to every visit.

In addition to all their hard work, Genmab employees have been amazing ambassadors. They have routinely hosted TASK staff members to speak to employee groups and interns, helping to raise awareness and deepen their understanding around issues of hunger and poverty. Genmab’s willingness to educate their workforce highlights their values in action and embodies our mutual commitment to serve the community.

"I’m really proud to be a long-time supporter of TASK and also get to represent Genmab in outreach," says Genmab Executive Assistant Debbie Cabrera (pictured here). "It’s such a meaningful way to give back to the community. Getting to volunteer and be part of something that directly helps others facing personal challenges is incredibly rewarding."

Genmab’s commitment to learning and community service delivers on their promise to “go beyond what is usual.” Here at TASK, we’d agree that their sustained engagement through funding, volunteering, service and education makes them truly “extra[not]ordinary!”

08/18/2026

Every week at TASK, blank pages become poems and blank canvases become vivid works of art.

While many people may not immediately connect a soup kitchen with the arts, TASK has actually been offering creative arts opportunities to the community for more than a quarter of a century.

"Art is so deeply ingrained in what it means to be human," says TASK Creative Arts Specialist Frank Lettieri. "People need meals to survive, and they need connection and purpose to thrive."

The Trenton Community A-Team (also known as TCAT) began meeting at TASK more than 25 years ago and continues to gather every Tuesday during lunch to make art. Now an independent nonprofit, TCAT helps to promote and support TASK artists and champion the power of visual arts to transform lives and strengthen communities.

Every Thursday, TASK invites the community to join the SHARE Project, welcoming writers of all backgrounds and experience levels. Participants read their work aloud, exchange feedback and explore topics both personal and universal.

Along with "Music Mondays," where the public is invited to join and jam with diners and staff, the TASK creative arts program has become a place where creativity, self-expression and friendship flourish.

Beginning in 2010, TASK published its first literary magazine to help celebrate its artists and share their vision with the world. Our most recent edition, entitled "Fresh Type & Novel Visions," is just a bite-sized sample of the extraordinary talent found at TASK.

We hope you enjoy its poetry, prose and artwork, and that you may be encouraged to visit TASK to see, read and hear even more!

Download "Fresh Type & Novel Visions" here: https://tinyurl.com/TASKLitMag

Pictured here: The SHARE Project meets on a recent Thursday at TASK.

08/13/2026

Every day, perfectly good food goes uneaten while thousands of households across our community struggle with food insecurity. Through our growing partnership with Share My Meals Inc. and participation in the Meal Recovery Coalition, TASK is helping bridge that gap — rescuing surplus meals and getting them into the hands of our neighbors who need them most.

Food recovery has become an increasingly important strategy in the fight against hunger. Restaurants, corporate cafeterias, universities, caterers and others often have high-quality prepared meals left over at the end of the day.

Share My Meals, a Princeton-based nonprofit, was founded in 2020, committed to reducing food waste and addressing food insecurity by connecting food donors with local nonprofit partners through a streamlined recovery network powered by a dedicated staff and volunteer corps. Soon thereafter, the organization began partnering with TASK to distribute rescued meals.

As Share My Meals sought to create a sustainable, replicable model for surplus meal recovery, they also recognized the need to build a strong network of public and private stakeholders to support education, advocacy and innovation. From there, the Meal Recovery Coalition was launched in 2024, and TASK became a founding nonprofit member.

Last year, TASK was able to accept and distribute 7,628 recovered meals and more than 1,800 pounds of groceries, including produce and baked goods. Through these efforts, TASK and Share My Meals prevented roughly 18.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

For TASK, the partnership with Share My Meals and the Meal Recovery Coalition is about more than food rescue — it is about dignity, sustainability and compassion. Every recovered meal represents an opportunity to reduce waste, support neighbors facing hardship and build community.

“Much like the community we serve, nonprofits like TASK are being challenged to stretch resources further than ever before,” says TASK COO Paul Jensen. “Meal recovery programs like Share My Meals help maximize available food while ensuring that nutritious meals do not go to waste.”

Pictured here: A volunteer from SMM stocks their fridge with rescued meals.

08/10/2026

You can be a bright spot in someone's day this August -- in more ways than one!

We are excited to share that the Pennington Stop & Shop (800 F Denow Road) has selected TASK as the beneficiary of their Bloomin' 4 Good program during the month of August! This program provides a meaningful opportunity to grow awareness and support for our mission within the community.

Here’s how it works: For every specially marked $11.99 Bloomin’ 4 Good bouquet purchased at the Pennington store, Stop & Shop will donate $1 to TASK!

It’s that simple, and it adds up fast. Each bouquet purchased is a small action that helps us continue to fulfill our mission to feed more people across the Trenton area.

The more bouquets purchased, the greater the impact! So brighten someone's day -- or your own -- with a fresh bouquet and do some good.

Thank you for helping turn everyday shopping into meaningful support for the TASK community!

07/06/2026

Last month, TASK was honored to welcome former NFL coach and broadcaster Jason Garrett to our dining room.

Garrett, who founded Starfish Charities back in 1997, has been running a football and leadership development camp at his alma mater Princeton University for roughly 24 years.

"This year, I had a chance to work with a group called Our Community Table down in Florida," says Garrett. "They said, 'Hey, we'd love to come up to your camp and support!' We looked into the whole idea, and then we noticed that there were so many great organizations around the Princeton area who are doing really impactful things in people's lives, and TASK is one of them."

Through his foundation, Starfish Charities, and in partnership with a team of volunteers from , and , Garrett brought together friends, volunteers and campers to make 1,500 meals that they distributed throughout the Mercer County area. 350 of those meals were delivered to TASK. Garrett and his team stopped by the Escher Street dining room to learn more about TASK's work and greet people, much to the delight of diners.

Garrett's commitment to service is inspired by a story he heard at his own graduation: "A woman is walking on the beach when she notices a young man picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. When she asks, the young man tells her that the starfish were washed up by a storm and would die if left in the sun. 'But the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish. How can your effort make any difference?' she asks. As he throws another starfish back into the ocean the young man replies, 'It makes a difference to this one.'"

Says TASK CEO Amy Flynn, "Sometimes the idea that we can move the needle on hunger feels overwhelming. We are grateful to Jason and all of his charitable partners for making this day a reality. The idea behind Starfish Charities, and something we firmly believe here at TASK, is that by working together, we can make a difference -- one meal, one act of kindness and one neighbor at a time."

📸courtesy of Nick Testores

07/03/2026

We are OPEN!

If you or a loved one are in need of a meal, join us this Saturday, July 4, for lunch. We will be open our normal Saturday hours, from 10:30am - 12:45pm. As always, everyone is welcome, no questions asked.

Beat the heat and step inside for one of our delicious meals!

PS- We are open as usual on Friday, July 3, for lunch as well!

07/02/2026

Now that local schools have closed for summer break, we are faced with a new reality: hunger doesn't take the summer off.

Throughout the school year, many families rely on free or reduced-price school meals as a dependable source of nutrition. When schools close for the summer, those meals disappear, placing additional strain on already stretched budgets.

Seniors feel the heat, too — literally. Last summer, for example, electricity costs jumped by as much as 20% in New Jersey.

And the numbers continue to grow. Those who are struggling with the rising costs for housing, utilities, transportation and healthcare are often left making impossible choices between paying bills and putting food on the table.

Families like Theresa’s (pictured here) rely on TASK throughout the summer months to stay afloat. A devoted mother of seven children, Theresa feels the pressure mount during the summer months. When school is out of session, she frequently stops by to pick up some of TASK’s signature meals.

“[TASK] usually gives the kids a little something extra like a yogurt or a fruit cup,” says Theresa. “The to-go snacks are really helpful, too. Juice boxes and little goodies are a huge help, especially for the summertime.”

Summer can also bring unique challenges for nonprofit organizations like TASK.
Says TASK CEO Amy Flynn, “While the need for meals increases, donations and volunteer participation often slow as people travel or shift into summer schedules.”

This summer, TASK will continue to prepare and serve more than 12,500 meals each week while also providing a wide variety of programs and services designed to help our community achieve greater stability and self-sufficiency.

“Every volunteer hour and every donation helps TASK continue to be a reliable resource,” adds Flynn. “The challenges facing our community are real, but so is the generosity and kindness that helps to power TASK, all year long.”

You can help! Visit www.TrentonSoupKitchen.org/Donate to provide nourishing meals, dignity and stabilty all summer long.

Hunger does not take a summer break, and thanks to generous people like you, neither does TASK!

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

08/25/2026

08/20/2026

08/18/2026

08/13/2026

08/10/2026

07/06/2026

07/03/2026

07/02/2026

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm