Who We Are
Our History
On January 13, 1982, the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen served its first meal from the basement of the First Methodist Church of Trenton (now Turning Point United Methodist Church). Soup and butter sandwiches were all we could offer at first, but because of the generosity of the community, TASK was able to expand its menu and its service. By the end of the year, TASK served more than 40,000 meals.
In decades since, we’ve built and moved into our Escher Street location and expanded our services to include social services, adult education and creative arts programs. We serve meals, no questions asked. In our 40-plus year history, we have never turned away anyone who has asked us for a meal.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we expanded our meal service program to include dozens of community meal sites and doubled our food production beyond pre-pandemic rates.
TASK’s success is due in large part to the partnerships we have forged throughout the community and our ability to quickly adapt to changing circumstances. Today, we are serving 10,000 meals per week at nearly 40 locations and offering a wide variety of programs and services to help encourage self-sufficiency and improve quality of life.
Mission
Our mission is to feed those who are hungry in the Trenton area and offer programs to encourage self-sufficiency and improve the quality of life for our patrons.
Our Vision
With a strong infrastructure managed by a committed and engaged Board and staff, TASK will expand its ability to reach the hungry in the Trenton area and those with the aspiration or responsibility to serve them.
Guiding Principles
Feeding the hungry in the Trenton area is the highest priority for TASK.
The administrative resources of TASK will evolve to support both growth and change in leadership.
TASK will continue to recognize the value of providing an opportunity for volunteers to express their values through service.
New programs and services will be developed based on documented needs.
TASK will continue to be a leader in informing the community about hunger and advocating for programs and policies to alleviate hunger and food insecurity.
Partnerships & Collaboration
TASK partners with religious organizations, schools, community centers, nonprofits and businesses to provide a wide network of support. During the pandemic, these partnerships allowed us to nearly double our meal service production and help us continue to provide 10,000 meals a week. For Case Management, we work with community partners to connect our patrons with resources such as identification, housing, clothing, medical care, veterans’ services and more.
Partnerships help us – and our partners – better serve our community. If your organization is interested in partnering with TASK, call us at (609) 695-5456.
Tireless. Compassionate. Creative. Meet Our Team.
The people who work at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen are dedicated to meeting the needs of our patrons and helping them on their journey to food security, with dignity and respect.
Be the Difference Between Hunger and Hope
TASK has been a trusted leader in hunger relief for more than 40 years. Your tax-deductible donation will directly improve the lives of the people we serve.
