All Saints Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry Reopening Celebration

On Saturday, May 20, 2023, Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan (CCSEM) and All Saints Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry (ASSKFP) celebrated the official grand reopening of their new location at 6945 Wagner Ave just north of McGraw Ave. in Southwest Detroit on the lower level of the Police Athletic League Recreation Center.

The invite-only celebration welcomed nearly one hundred guests, including esteemed community leaders, local dignitaries, and long-time supporters of the beloved soup kitchen and food pantry. Monsignor Charles Kosanke, Board Chair of Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, formally blessed the building.

“We are thrilled that this day is here!” said Paul Propson, CEO of Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan. “This move and grand reopening celebration represent a significant milestone for our mission. We are grateful to our staff, advisory board, and all those who worked tirelessly to secure a new space that aligns with our mission and vision of serving those in Southwest Detroit. With this new facility, we can better serve the community, offering a welcoming environment
and essential resources to those facing hardship.”

The new location looks to serve those in ZIP codes 48209 and 48210. “We want to help all those in need of food assistance serving as a beacon and sense of hope for residents in Southwest Detroit,” says Dave Allen, Program Manager at ASSKFP. “We may have a new location, but our passion and mission have stayed the same.”

The celebratory grand reopening came after many ups and downs to the mission, starting with the closure of All Saints Parish at the end of 2017 and its subsequent merger with St. Gabriel’s by the Archdiocese of Detroit. With the sale of the property, ASSKFP was compelled to find a new location to ensure the continuity of its vital mission. In 2020, due mainly to the pandemic and the church sale, they were forced to close the original kitchen. Besides this, the larger landscape and community in that original location were changing drastically due to the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which further divided the community, “it was the time to consider a permanent move,” said Allen.

The devoted staff, leadership, and advisory board members worked hard to secure a permanent location within a neighboring parish in or around the Southwest Detroit/River Rouge/and nearby downriver communities. An area — which Allen states is “the true heart and soul of this mission.”

During the May 20 grand reopening, attendees toured the facility, learned more about the organization’s programs, and witnessed firsthand the positive impact of ASSKFP on the community — especially how the services create hope for so many individuals and families in need. Many attendees provided donations (both monetary and in-kind) to help offset the astronomical cost of food and the increased demand for support.

The afternoon concluded with a prayer of gratitude led by Monsignor Charles Kosanke and a communal blessing to the attending staff, volunteers, and advisory board members who made the relocation possible.

ASSKFP is officially open and ready to serve. The food pantry hours are Monday and Thursday from 1pm — 3pm, and the soup kitchen service hours are from 12noon to 1:30pm every Wednesday. To learn more about All Saints Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, to volunteer, donate, or serve, please call 855-882-2736 ext. 3321 or visit ccsem.org/allsaints/

On June 13, 2022, a reopening of the food pantry began at the new location, and one year later, on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, the Soup Kitchen reopened to serve hot meals between 12noon and 1:30pm every Wednesday.