GRACE Serves Half A Million Meals!

On Monday, March 25, we’re celebrating the half millionth meal served in Cafè 131. “Considering that many of these meals were served before we had a kitchen, it’s an incredible milestone,” said Travis Middleton, Director of Community Engagement. “We couldn’t have done it without Chef Marty Slevin, our dedicated kitchen crew, volunteers, and meal groups,“ he added.

Monday’s half millionth meal celebration is open to the public. Dinner will be served at 5:30pm by St. Augustine's Catholic Church and will feature Chef Marty’s special meatloaf made from grass-fed beef provided by Florida Fresh Meat Company.

At GRACE, we serve around 400 meals a day to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. “Cafe 131 is really the heart of our campus and our volunteer program,” said Jon DeCarmine, Executive Director.

Over the years, we’ve streamlined our approach to make it easier for groups to come out and serve a meal. As of today, you can select from a pre-planned menu and we’ll order everything needed ahead of time. All a group has to do is show up, wash hands (and put on a hairnet), tie an apron, and be ready to get started. Our kitchen staff will guide your group through every step in preparing a meal. Preparing and serving a meal at GRACE is a powerful experience. It’s a great way to spend time with friends, co-workers, or folks from your church. It’s one of the best ways to support GRACE’s mission to end homelessness while connecting directly with the people we have the privilege of serving.

To learn more about serving meals at GRACE, click here, or contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@gracemarketplace.org or (352) 792-0800 x128.