Fresno Mission’s CC’s Kitchen, previously reserved for residents staying at the City Center shelter, will open its doors to the wider community starting Monday for dinners.

Matthew Dildine, CEO of Fresno Mission, told GV Wire on Friday that the change comes in response to increasing local need. The kitchen will serve families with children and aged-out foster youth (18-22), providing free meals without income verification starting at 5 p.m.

“If somebody shows up and they need a free meal, we’re going to give them a free meal,” Dildine said.

Demand for meals has been growing steadily, he said, noting that lines are forming even earlier for services like First Fruits Kitchen.

“This past week, we started seeing the line form at 1 p.m., almost 19 hours before the market would open,” he said. “You can tell the demand because of how early the line keeps forming.”

Dildine acknowledged that meals are limited, but the mission aims to prepare as many as possible each day to meet the growing need in Fresno.

Click here for more information about Fresno Mission’s City Center.

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