New Jersey Soup Kitchen Partners with Philadelphia Green Design Firm

Turning a business “green” can seem like a huge undertaking. For a non-profit this evolution might seem even more daunting. But if a soup kitchen can afford to create a green facility, who can’t?

The Cathedral Kitchen in Camden, N.J has partnered with Philadelphia green design firm, DAS Architects, to create one of the first environmentally friendly soup kitchens. Each month Cathedral Kitchen provides 8,000 meals to the poor and hungry. Operating since 1976, Cathedral Kitchen’s contribution to the community is significant. Now, they’re going beyond the call of duty to give back to the environment.

Five green things about Cathedral Kitchen’s new facility:

1. Local products: 20 percent of building products brought to the site were manufactured locally so Cathedral Kitchen reduced trucking and transportation costs.

2. Rejuvenating unused land: Cathedral kitchen revitalized unused and wasted property by constructing the new facility where an abandoned building once stood. The flooring is even made from recycled materials.

3. Cooling: Light color metal roofing will help reflect heat in the summertime months. Efficient appliances and lighting will be installed inside to help lower electricity bills.

4. Reused furniture: Boomerang, a pre-owned furniture supplier donated work stations for the soup kitchen’s administrative offices. Reusing furniture saves money and makes more sense from an environmental perspective than creating brand new furniture from recycled materials.

5. Lighting: Ninety percent of Cathedral Kitchen’s interior space will be from natural light. Windows provide natural light to save energy (and money) from artificial sources.

Posted by Beth