Our Vision

Our vision at Hope Dining Room is to serve a midday hot meal with dignity, to those in need in the Greater Newark Delaware area.  We have been serving a free hot midday meal to those in need in the Greater Newark Area since 1983.  We operate out of the Social Hall of the Kingswood Methodist Church at 300 Marrows Rd in Newark, DE.  Adults, children and/or families arrive starting at 11:45, sit down, and are served a hot meal.  There are no requirements for anyone to receive this meal.

Hope Dining Room began serving a midday meal on Mondays in 1983 through the outreach of five area churches. Four of these churches still cook and serve a meal today.  By 1984, the outreach expanded to cover Monday, Wednesday and Friday through the participation of 10 more churches.  In 1997, Thursday was finally able to be added with the addition of more church groups.   In 2012, service was finally extended to Tuesdays and with some recent additions finally have Tuesday covered.  We are currently serving around 60 meals per day, though attendance varies throughout the year and year to year, depending on the state of the local economy.  The menu varies throughout the month and each serving group determines the meal but most include a protein, vegetable, starch and dessert.

The serving groups provide and cook the food that is served to those in need each day. Hope Dining Room, Inc. covers the cost of the facility usage, paper goods, drinks and the services of a kitchen coordinator who oversees the Dining Room.  Hope Dining Room, Inc is a 501 3(c) nonprofit and receives funding from governments, local churches, businesses and individuals.    

Our board as well as our serving groups are all volunteers so funds receive all go back into serving those who need it.

I have been the president/chairperson of Hope Dining Room for 18 years and involved for 20 years.  The reason I have been involved for so long is that I feel Hope Dining Room provides a needed service to the community, not just to feed the homeless, but also to provide a lift for those who may just need a few meals per week covered, to help them stretch their funds further.  I have watched many people who have utilized the service for only a few days, some a few weeks, or sometimes longer. The Dining Room provides a safe place to sit down and be served a hot meal and have conversations with others. Friends and contacts are also made. When the local economy is poor, the population served increases.  However, even in better times, there are always those that need some help.