by Ruth Gilroy
St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room was founded in 1974. We were thrilled to celebrate our 50th anniversary in September 2024. Our mission statement declares that we provide hot, nutritious meals 52 weeks per year. We charge no fees, ask no questions, and turn no one away. All guests are welcomed with dignity and respect and received in a spirit of hospitality. We serve meals six days a week and on average provide around 8,000 meals per month.
We seek to reduce the fear of food insecurity among the less fortunate of southern San Mateo County. We also lessen the fear of where one’s next meal might come from for all members of the community because they know that we are a stable organization with a long successful record, and a place where anyone can get a free meal.
The Dining Room’s service to the community has twice been publicly recognized by the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce with a Golden Acorn Award. The accompanying Proclamations from the city of Menlo Park cited, among other contributions, over 5 million meals served to the community since the Dining Room opened in 1974.
How we make it work
We are able to accomplish our goal of providing our services with only seven paid staff members, most of whom have been with us for over 20 years, by utilizing the services of around 20 volunteers each day who support the staff in preparing and serving meals. A large number of our volunteers have been with us for many years and find the Dining Room a rewarding place to work.
Appreciation from those we serve
Over the years many of our guests have shared stories of how they made it through rough times with their family when they moved to the area because of the food and clothing shared with them when they were in need. Several of these individuals have returned to volunteer in the Dining Room once they were able to support themselves to repay the kindness they received when they were going through difficult times.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are our busiest days of the year, serving as many as 600 meals on these holidays. In conjunction with the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, toys are collected during the Christmas season. As many as 2,000 children receive toys during an annual giveaway event held just before Christmas.
Our services
St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room serves from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily (except Sunday). In addition to a full, hot meal, guests may take home a bag full of food items including fresh produce. We have a clothing distribution center, which is adjacent to the Dining Room, that provides shoes, and clothing for men, women and children, blankets, sleeping bags, baby and infant wear and diapers.
How you can help
St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room is funded by donations and grants from many individuals and from local businesses and foundations. The cost of serving over 94,000 meals plus take-home groceries each year is huge and additional donations are welcomed and needed.
St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room is one of the beneficiaries of The Almanac’s Holiday Fund. Donations are divided equally among this year’s 10 nonprofit organizations and 100% of the funds raised go directly to the recipients. Donations to the Holiday Fund can be made at almanacnews.com/holiday_fund.
Find out more about the organization at paduadiningroom.com.
Ruth Gilroy is a volunteer at St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room.
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