When you first enter Kate's Kitchen, located in Trail, B.C., you might think you've wandered into some fancy neighbourhood eatery. “We're set up like a restaurant,” says co-ordinator Linda Radtke. “We serve on real china, we have placemats and flowers on our tables, framed photos on the wall, and the food is fresh and not something out of a can. Actually, this is one of the nicest restaurants in Trail!”

Culinary Golden Rule
Kate's Kitchen opened in 1993 when The Salvation Army purchased a building for use as a food bank and soup kitchen. As a soldier of The Salvation Army for over a decade, Radtke had volunteered to help refurbish the new building, then started working in the kitchen and was soon asked to manage Kate's.

Named after Salvation Army co-founder Catherine Booth, Kate's caters mostly to people with low incomes, “but everybody's welcome,” stresses Radtke. “Seniors come in, we have people on welfare, the lonely come in. When we have our Thursday suppers, we get homeless youth with nowhere to go. Beyond feeding them a meal, we try to lift their spirits. That's what we're here for.”

When Radtke came to Kate's Kitchen 14 years ago, she was determined to make a difference in her community. She treats her clients as she wants to be treated. Everything is made from scratch by Kate's 35 volunteers, from soup and sandwiches to casseroles, lasagna, cabbage rolls and macaroni and cheese. In the summer, Kate's hosts barbecues outside the building, complete with hot dogs, burgers and fries. The Thursday dinners feature either roast pork, chicken, turkey or roast beef. Between 40 to 70 people pass through the doors for lunch and 50 to 100 people for supper.

Smoothing the Road
Kate's philosophy extends to more than just good meals. “Our motive behind everything we do is our love for the Lord, and hopefully we're sharing that with others,” says staffer Mary Anne Leschiutta, also a soldier of The Salvation Army. “Serving food to those without is the core of what we do, but we're there for any who need help. Our faith-based background permeates everything we do. We go the extra mile.”

Recently, the staff helped a woman who'd wandered into Kate's looking for help. She had to go to a nearby hospital but lacked the funds for transportation. The staff gave her the needed bus fare.

“I ran into her this past weekend and she thanked me again,” Leschiutta reports. “She said to me, 'I don't know what I would have done without you.' We get that kind of response all the time.”

“A woman with two children passed by the kitchen every day,” continues Radtke. “She never came in but we always smiled and waved to her. One day, she and her little girl and boy finally stopped by for lunch. As we talked, we found out that she had left an abusive relationship and that they were in need. Eventually, we arranged for her to get food hampers and other assistance.

“Later, she told me, 'Kate's Kitchen is so great. It's wonderful to know there's a place where we can go when we're hungry or when we can't afford to buy food. Thank you for being there.'

“There are so many people who are struggling with poverty and other issues,” concludes Radtke. “We're just trying to help smooth the road.”

Photo: From left, volunteer Gayle Mann, Linda Radtke and Mary Anne Leschiutta