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To serve people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty by providing food assistance and services that promote health, community, and equity.
Over the past few years, cities across America have seen the number of people experiencing homelessness increase. With inflation skyrocketing and the lack of affordable housing, New Haven has seen the number of people on the street triple. So, while we have needed to expand our food services to respond to the increase in the number of people lining up at our dinner and food pantry programs, we have also hired additional staff to give those with nowhere else to go a place to be comfortable and safe while they get connected to services. Although our 266 State Street location is currently closed for building renovations, we continue to operate New Haven's first Drop-in & Resource, just a couple of blocks away at 57 Olive Street.
Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) serves over 4,000 people each year through our Evening Meals program, our weekly Food Pantry program, and our Drop-in & Resource Center. Across the agency, we provide nearly 130,000 meals annually with the help of more than 2,000 volunteers from dozens of schools, social and civic groups, religious organizations, and businesses. At DESK, food assistance is just the beginning. We strive to connect people to a myriad of other services to enable them to move BEYOND homelessness and poverty -- like health care, housing , public benefits, and job training. At DESK, we take the following four approaches to service: (1) Low-Barrier: We aim to make all services as accessible as possible, reducing hurdles and barriers, like eligibility requirements, paperwork, waiting lists, and questions, as best we can. (2) Person-Centered: We aim to put the individuals we serve — their needs, their goals, their aspirations, and their dignity — at the focal point of our strategy in planning, executing, and improving all services, with particular attention to the wholeness and uniqueness of each individual’s experience. (3) Harm Reduction: We aim to deploy strategies that can reduce the risks associated with homelessness and parallel adverse experiences, while focusing on overall improvement of individual wellbeing in a non-judgmental and non-coercive manner. (4) Client Voice: We aim to ensure that those we serve not only have a seat at the table, but also provide the leadership and guidance to shape short-term improvements and long-term strategies.
DESK has come a long way in recent years. In 2017, we began expanding our understanding of what we do and the impact we could have on the lives of those we touch. We realized that people were coming to us every night for dinner to fulfill a basic need—food, clothing, toiletries—but then we had an opportunity, an obligation really, to do more to improve the lives and overall wellbeing of our nightly Guests. And so we began partnering closely with Cornell Scott Hill Health and Connecticut Mental Health Center, as well as Liberty Community Services, Columbus House, and the United Way of Greater New Haven, among others. We worked with CARE and Project Access to expand the notion of a “food pantry” to include community health workers and connections to other mainstream services. And in 2018, we began to more deliberately take a harm reduction approach by installing sharps containers for anonymous disposal of used syringes and training staff and interns to administer naloxone. These and other changes led to an ambitious strategic plan in 2019, calling for DESK to find a new location to expand our service-model into New Haven’s first Downtown Drop-in & Resource Service, a highly-accessible day-program for unhoused individuals that would include an onsite medical clinic and private consultation space for mental health providers and case management. The incredible growth and meaningful changes we have experienced in recent years have been informed continually by our clients, our interns and volunteers, and the broader community. Our leadership has brought together stakeholders in the neighborhoods we serve, from businesses and residents, to government officials and community leaders. The state of homelessness and food insecurity in New Haven is the most dire it has been in decades. Despite the discouraging realities on the streets of our city, I am energized when I see the enthusiasm of our impassioned staff and Board, I am hopeful when I see how much the community supports (and joins!) the work we do, and I am inspired when I see the successes and change in the lives of those we serve. Steve Werlin, Executive Director
Making an impact in public health is about going beyond. Beyond simply providing healthcare, or food services, or housing. Best practices and evidence-based public health approaches rely on strong community partnerships meeting people where they are to promote health while creating a vibrant, supportive, thriving community. At DESK, we are building upon a strong foundation of over 35 years of service to those facing homelessness, and moving beyond the traditional soup kitchen model. We are working to ensure we are addressing homelessness in a trauma-informed, client-centered, equity-driven way, focusing on holistically addressing people’s needs, including those beyond a meal - with the help of our community partners. We know that it is critical to take this systems-wide, collaborative approach to help our clients meet their goals and build a healthier New Haven – and we are proud to go beyond for our community. Alyse Sabina Board President
Areas Served |
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Greater New Haven |
DESK is located in Downtown New Haven but serves people from all over the city and surrounding suburbs. Our centralized location allows for relatively easy public transportation options for Guests coming from all over the New Haven metro area.
Temporarily located at 57 Olive Street (between Chapel and Wooster), DESK's Drop-in & Resource Center provides people who are on the street with a place to go that they can call their own. Basic needs -- like food, clothing, toiletries, first-aid and harm reduction supplies, and refuge from the weather -- bring people in the door. Once there, they can work with our staff, volunteers, and partners to connect to a myriad of services that can help move BEYOND homelessness and poverty, including: shelter, housing, substance use treatment, mental health services, and employment. In this way, we are linking basic needs to lasting solution. | |
Example of Program Success | Peter's Success (https://www.deskct.org/peters-success) Successes at DESK come one person at a time. I want to share Peter’s success with you: Peter was the first one in the door. On the day we opened our new Drop-in & Resource Center in April, Peter had been on the street for a month, having just returned to Connecticut after more than thirty years. A few weeks before opening day, he had been walking down State Street, and he struck up a conversation with me as I was heading into the building. “I remember that day we met on the street,” he recalled, “You listened to me. You took the time and listened to me.” As my staff always tells me, listening is the first step in helping. “I took some wrong turns in my life. I should have listened more.” For Peter, this was a hard-earned lesson. Peter never makes excuses for his choices, but he’s suffered from mental health challenges throughout his life. He’s worked a variety of jobs since the late ‘70s. With a smile, he says he couldn’t overcome his temperament enough to make it in customer service. General anxiety disorder can be a difficult barrier to steady employment for many people. In time, Peter found success working with his hands in more creative capacities. Always artistic, he discovered a talent for creating commercial signage. It was as a signage contractor that he found himself in Cocoa Beach, Florida, making signs for NASA! That’s also where Peter found the love of his life, personal fulfillment, and, for the first time, some peace and stability. Then, after 31 years of marriage, the unthinkable happened: Peter lost his wife to cancer in late 2019. He slipped into depression and old patterns. And sadly, the place that had offered him opportunities for employment and success, offered very little in the way of support and services. So he returned to Connecticut. “You all saved my life.” Trauma begets trauma, and the longer you go without a roof over your head, the greater the damage. “There’s a real relationship between [mental] stress and physical health,” says Peter, who has also been in and out of the hospital for a variety of ailments in recent months. With winter quickly approaching, the prospects for Peter were grim. So it was with a great sense of relief that last month Peter got the keys to his new apartment! In the current housing climate, this was no small feat. “I was determined,” says Peter, “I made it my quest to get off the street; [but] I give your crew all the credit … You guys really know how to handle this stuff!” To be more accurate, it was all-hands-on deck. Our Drop-in Center staff worked closely with Peter; meanwhile, behind the scenes, they coordinated with our housing partners. None of this could have happened without Peter’s trust, his willingness, and his “laser-focused determination,” as he puts it. * * * Peter’s story is just one example. At DESK, our staff and volunteers work daily to provide each individual who walks through our doors with needed support—whether it’s a cup of coffee, a housing application, or just someone to listen. And to be sure, Peter’s quest isn’t over. By his own account, he’ll need a community around him to overcome the barriers of trauma, depression, and anxiety to remain housed and stable. But the first step is complete: Peter’s off the street. And that wouldn’t have happened without DESK. Our new Drop-in & Resource Center was designed to be that first step—a doorway into a complex world of services. By supporting DESK, you are helping others to find successes like Peter’s in 2023. This is how we end homelessness in New Haven: one success at a time. |
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DESK serves dinner at 5:00 pm on Sunday through Thursday at 311 Temple St. On Friday and Saturday nights from September to May, DESK partners with the Yale Community Kitchen who serve dinner next door at the United Church Parish House. The program includes the provision of bagged-lunches distributed at the end of each evening's dinner, as well as clothing items and toiletries that are made available to Guests. | |
Example of Program Success | DESK is currently serving dinner to approximately 200 individuals each night, five nights a week. |
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DESK provides nutritious whole foods and other basic needs through a weekly food pantry on Wednesday from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. The food items available include canned and dry goods, fresh produce, and frozen meat when available. The program also makes available toiletries and hygiene products, as well as pet supplies. | |
Example of Program Success | DESK is serving approximately 160+ households a week. |
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CEO First Name | CEO Last Name | CEO Email |
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Steve | Werlin | swerlin@deskct.org |
Number of Full-Time Staff | 7 |
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Number of Part-Time Staff | 6 |
Number of Volunteers | 2,500 |
Number of Contract Staff | 1 |
American Indian or Alaskan Native | 3 |
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Asian | 1 |
Black or African American | 2 |
Middle Eastern or North African | 0 |
Mixed | 1 |
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 0 |
White | 6 |
Other | 0 |
Choose Not to Answer | 0 |
Hispanic or Latino/a/x | 2 |
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Not Hispanic or Latino/a/x | 11 |
Choose Not to Answer | 0 |
Male | 5 |
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Female | 8 |
I am: (Fill In Below) | Non-Binary: 1 |
Choose Not to Answer | 0 |
Board Chair First Name | Board Chair Last Name | Board Chair Email Address | Board Chair Term Start Date | Board Chair Term End Date |
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Alyse | Sabina | president@deskct.org | July 1, 2023 | June 30, 2025 |
Board Member First Name | Board Member Last Name | Board Member Affiliation |
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Natalie | Judd | Big Voice Communications |
Denise | Dean | Fair Haven Community Health Care |
Sofia | Morales-Navarro | Community Alliance for Research & Engagement |
Laurie | Scheiner | Community Health Center (ret.) |
David | Norman-Schiff | Wiggin & Dana |
Joy | Gary | Connecticut State’s Attorney Office |
Kelcy | Steele | Varick AME Zion Church |
Amelea | Lowery | Yale School of Public Health |
Caitlin | Ryus | Yale School of Medicine |
Tim | Opstrup | Yale Ventures |
Linda | Cortright | Independent Consultant |
Alyse | Sabina | Independent Consultant |
Current List of Board Members as of | July 1, 2023 |
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American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0 |
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Asian | 1 |
Black or African American | 3 |
Middle Eastern or North African | 0 |
Mixed | 1 |
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 0 |
Other | 0 |
White | 8 |
Choose Not to Answer | 1 |
Hispanic or Latino/a/x | 1 |
---|---|
Not Hispanic or Latino/a/x | 12 |
Choose Not to Answer | 1 |
Male | 3 |
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Female | 10 |
I am: (Fill In Below) | n/a |
Choose Not to Answer | 0 |
Additional Comments (Optional) |
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Fiscal Year Start Date | Fiscal Year End Date | Projected Revenue | Projected Expenses |
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July 1, 2024 | June 30, 2025 | $1,442,001 | $1,385,822 |
Fiscal Year | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
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Total Revenue | $1,529,224 | $1,320,959 | $1,363,458 |
Total Expenses | $1,185,701 | $961,167 | $707,444 |
2021 990 Tax Form | Download |
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2022 990 Tax Form | Download |
2023 990 Tax Form | Download |
2024 990 Tax Form |
Financial Statements | Download |
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Financial Documentation Year | 2023 |
Financial Documentation Type | Audited Financial Statements |
Financial Statements | Download |
Financial Documentation Year | 2022 |
Financial Documentation Type | Audited Financial Statements |
Financial Statements | Download |
Financial Documentation Year | 2021 |
Financial Documentation Type | Audited Financial Statements |
DESK's revenue strategy is based on a diversified stream of sources designed to protect the organization's solvency in the event of economic turn-down, political tides, or other unanticipated gaps. All budgets, monthly balances, cash flow statements, and financial policies are maintained by a contracted bookkeeper (Carter, Hayes, + Associates) in consultation with the Executive Director, reviewed by the Board Treasurer, overseen by the Board Finance Committee, and approved by the full Board of Directors. In FY18, DESK began quantifying more accurately and including in our budget all in-kind revenue and expenses. This includes food, supplies, volunteer hours, and rent/utilities. The IRS only includes a portion of this for the Form 990, so a discrepancy may appear between total figures on DESK's operating budget/P&L and figures that appear subsequently on the corresponding Form 990. FY20 was the first year in which DESK's revenue was great enough to trigger an audited financial statement under IRS requirements; previous year's statements were unaudited and completed in-house.
Federal EIN Number | 22-2985448 |
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Organization's type of tax exempt status | 501(c)(3) |
Website | http://www.deskct.org |
https://www.facebook.com/downtown.evening.soup.kitchen/ | |
https://twitter.com/desk_nhv |
PO Box 1478
New Haven, CT 06506
Steve Werlin
admin@deskct.org
http://www.deskct.org
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