The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen feeds the hungry and offers programs and services to encourage self-sufficiency and improve the quality of life for people in the Greater Trenton Area. We began serving meals 40 years ago in a church basement and have since expanded to deliver more than 8,000 meals each week, six days per week, at our main Escher Street building and 33 community meal sites across the area. Since 1982, we have never turned away anyone who has asked us for a meal. Today, we also provide case management services, adult education programs, job search assistance, and creative arts classes, empowering those we serve to thrive, not just survive.

Meal Service
TASK serves delicious, nutritious meals to everyone who comes through its doors, no questions asked. We are the only soup kitchen in the Trenton area open 6 days a week, including most holidays.

Adult Education
TASK’s Adult Education & Work Preparedness (AEWP) program gives patrons the skills they need to improve their quality of life and help them achieve self-sufficiency. We tailor our lessons to each student’s needs and goals. TASK works with volunteer tutors to provide one-on-one and group education, free of charge. We also offer training in a wide range of subjects, from reading and writing to computer skills to culinary arts. We can help students obtain a high school equivalency diploma, enroll in a career training program, gain U.S. citizenship, get a driver’s permit, and enter the workforce.

Job Search and Assistance
Our on-site Job Search Specialist provides free career counseling, career readiness, and life skills training as well as support services to help students and patrons transition to college, job-training programs, and employment. We work with local businesses to host on-site hiring drives and develop job opportunities suited to our patrons’ skills and abilities.

Case Management
TASK’s case managers help solve some of our patrons’ most pressing and difficult problems. Lack of housing, employment, or simply valid ID – all of these can be roadblocks to self-sufficiency, a better quality of life, and ending hunger for good.

Patron Services
As part of its holistic approach, TASK provides necessities beyond food. These essentials include items that can be especially difficult to acquire for those without housing or means. They include clothing, glasses, hygiene items, and over-the-counter medications. TASK also offers free access to computers, phones, and fax machines to help patrons stay connected.

Creative Arts Programs
TASK’S creative arts programs help patrons improve communication skills and meet emotional needs, such as desires for self-expression and community. Patrons who take part are more comfortable interacting with others, asking for help, and seeking training and employment.

Eligibility	All TASK sites have a open door, no-questions-asked policy and all are welcome.
Age Groups	Children Adolescents Adults Seniors
Community Services	Basic Needs / Assistance Accepts Donations of Goods Food Pantry / Soup Kitchen Education Adult Education / Literacy Tutoring / Enrichment Employment / Training Job Training Legal / Advocacy Advocacy (Legal)
Payment Options	Free
Areas Served	Mercer County

Last Updated: 10/18/23