Providence Ministries for the Needy Inc

The goal of all Providence Ministries  programs is to foster self-sufficiency and return clients to independent living as soon as possible. Providence Ministries is client-centered and dedicated to offer equal access to services; empower clients in matters designed to end their cycle of homelessness; protect client rights to confidentiality; educate clients, communities and other agencies to the causes and issues of poverty; offer affordable housing programs; job and life skills training and maintain the highest degree of staff guidance and professionalism through ongoing education and supervision.

Kate’s Kitchen is currently the only daily meal site in the city of Holyoke. Serving anywhere from 85 to 200 people a day, utilizing a large force of community volunteers. During a seven day period approximately twenty-five volunteers are needed to deliver the meal. In addition to the noon meal, the Kate’s Kitchen Bread Program offers bread and pastries Monday through Friday at 2:00 pm when available. In August 2014 Kate’s kitchen began serving dinner once a week. There is currently no dinner meal available in the city of Holyoke, so the addition of this meal is extremely important to the hungry of our community.

Kate’s Kitchen serves a noontime meal 365 days a year to anyone in need - no questions asked. Last year Kate’s Kitchen served over 60,000 meals to the needy.

Margaret's pantry is an emergency food pantry operation located in the heart of South Holyoke. Last year Margaret’s Pantry distributed food to 1,720 families allowing them the dignity of preparing meals in the home for their families.

The foodWorks @ Kates Ktichen program was launched in 2013 as a job training program for individuals with challenges to employment. Qualified students may be a disabled Veteran, or a person experiencing homelessness, or recently released from incarceration. Students are offered a 12 week culinary training program providing the skills needed for employment in a variety of food service positions, and the opportunity to earn Serve Safe Food Handler Certification.

Students get hands on kitchen experience while preparing the noon-time meal at our community kitchen for the needy. The classroom education component focuses on; time management, money management, fair housing, interviewing skills and other life skills needed for success in the workplace.

foodWorks @Kate’s Kitchen has demonstrated 88% job placement success for program graduates.

The Housing arm of the Network is dedicated to transitioning homeless men in recovery from drugs and alcohol, into permanent housing through supportive sober living programs. The Loreto House is a transitional program for men who are newly sober. Broderick House and the new McCleary Manor are available to support men who are further along in their sobriety.

Last year the Loreto House, transitional housing for homeless men, provided 7,100 nights of shelter along with intensive case management.

In support of those in need, St. Jude’s Clothing Center accepts donations from the community that are first used for program participants, with the remainder being sold to the general public at a reasonable rate to raise money to help support the network services.