Sister Jean's making changes to prep for restarting hot meals at new location

ATLANTIC CITY — The Friends of Jean Webster are making some big changes this year as they prepare to open a hot meal program for the first time since Sister Jean’s Kitchen closed in 2019.

“A realistic opening now is Feb. 1,” said Director of Development Paige Washington, of Linwood, who said the hot meal program will likely start with Wednesday afternoon meals and work up to hot lunches Monday through Friday.

On Thursday, huge double stacked ovens and a three-basin commercial sink sat waiting to be installed in the renovated kitchen in the community center at the three-building former Parish of St. Monica on Pennsylvania Avenue.

In the sanctuary building, the food pantry was providing bags of produce, meats, beans and basics to a steady line of visitors.

The food comes from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch, and from the Acme supermarkets in Brigantine and Ventnor, Executive Director John Scotland said.

In what will soon be the dining room in the former community center building, Kate Curry’s clothing and soap pantry was set up and people were choosing coats, cleaning supplies and more.

Not owning the land they farm is an issue for farmers nationwide, she said.

“It’s tough. … You are at the mercy of the person who owns the property,” Newcomb said. “It’s part of our plan to own some space (in the future).”

The group is also hoping to develop gardens on Atlantic City Housing Authority properties, she said.

C.R.O.P.S. also runs a community garden in Pleasantville and has a storefront where it sells produce in Tanger Outlets The Walk.

Getting the community building renovated for the hot food project has taken longer than expected, Washington said.

Sister Jean’s had hoped to serve Thanksgiving in 2023, she said, but that didn’t happen.

“If you had any idea what it was like just waiting for plumbers,” Washington said of the many layers of work needed for renovation.

Sister Jean’s is still waiting for fire suppression equipment to be delivered, she said.

But it’s possible to start providing hot food before the kitchen is complete.

“Before the kitchen is ready ... we will start with food prepared by restaurants,” Washington said.

Sister Jean’s will start out feeding 40 people in a sit-down lunch and giving out 40 to-go lunches, she said. The ultimate goal is to provide two sit-down lunches a day that are cooked onsite, for a total of 80 people fed.

Scotland, a retired Presbyterian minister, said the group is looking for volunteers to help with the hot food program going forward.

Many of the volunteers from the former hot meal program are no longer available, he said.

“They aged out,” Scotland said.

To volunteer, visit friendsofjeanwebster.org and click on “Volunteer!”