They are hungry, tired, and often, they're braving unbearable weather that would keep most of us indoors. Every day, some 450 people will line up at the side of a nondescript, ancient building at 14 W. Bijou St., with
the most basic level of survival in mind - simply to eat a hot, nutritious, filling meal. To the Colorado Springs homeless and working poor communities, it's known merely as The Soup Kitchen.
And while the staff at Catholic Charities-run Marian House provide other services to their guests, it's the 365-day a year meal preparation - officials estimate that Marian House will have served 200,000 meals in 2007 - that consumes most of their energies.
Calling Marian House "cramped" is akin to calling your local convenience store "over-priced." The building, built in 1880 and added to in the 1950's, seats only 75 closely-packed diners at once, necessitating a 30-minute dining limit. Throw 25-30 volunteers into the mix - working in the building's bedroom-sized kitchen, dish room, and storage areas, and the facility quickly becomes packed to the proverbial, if sweaty, rafters - after all, the building was originally a nunnery.
It was not designed to herd 450 hungry people a day through its walls. Volunteers are often turned away, simply because some days there are just too many, according to Marian House director Tom Corsentino.
Those less-than-desirable conditions will change soon enough - construction has started on a new building that will seat 150-175 people, will feature a state-of-the-art kitchen, and provide ample room for dishwashing and storage. Corsentino estimates that the new building should be finished sometime in June, 2008, after which the current building will either be renovated or torn down and rebuilt, where it will serve as administrative space. Corsentino is rooting for the latter, as "renovating will be a nightmare."
Marian House: Hot Meals and More for Colorado Springs' Poor and HomelessNeighborhood: Downtown
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
United States of America
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
United States of America
And while the staff at Catholic Charities-run Marian House provide other services to their guests, it's the 365-day a year meal preparation - officials estimate that Marian House will have served 200,000 meals in 2007 - that consumes most of their energies.
Calling Marian House "cramped" is akin to calling your local convenience store "over-priced." The building, built in 1880 and added to in the 1950's, seats only 75 closely-packed diners at once, necessitating a 30-minute dining limit. Throw 25-30 volunteers into the mix - working in the building's bedroom-sized kitchen, dish room, and storage areas, and the facility quickly becomes packed to the proverbial, if sweaty, rafters - after all, the building was originally a nunnery.
It was not designed to herd 450 hungry people a day through its walls. Volunteers are often turned away, simply because some days there are just too many, according to Marian House director Tom Corsentino.
Those less-than-desirable conditions will change soon enough - construction has started on a new building that will seat 150-175 people, will feature a state-of-the-art kitchen, and provide ample room for dishwashing and storage. Corsentino estimates that the new building should be finished sometime in June, 2008, after which the current building will either be renovated or torn down and rebuilt, where it will serve as administrative space. Corsentino is rooting for the latter, as "renovating will be a nightmare."
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