Youngstown's newest dining hall for people in need is open

YOUNGSTOWN — The first-ever lunch served today at Our Community Kitchen, the city's newest dining hall for people in need, drew a crowd of more than 100 people, manager Skip Barone reported.

"It's been amazing," said Barone, former kitchen manager of St. Vincent de Paul Society's dining hall on Front Street. 

Our Community Kitchen officially opened its doors on Mahoning Avenue, serving lunch and breakfast earlier and hosting an open house for community members who have been involved in getting the place up and running. 

The kitchen opened with the support of the Anthony Cocca Family Foundation, whose $750,000 donation funded the project to add another free dining hall in an area where the need for one is great. 

"It's real exciting for us. Being an Italian family, with everything we do, we eat," said Anthony Cocca. "That's what this meant to us - friends feeding friends."

The kitchen serves breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Saturday. It also offers additional services, such as free toiletries, haircuts and use of computers at a community room here. 

It's located at 551 Mahoning Ave., near the intersection with Oak Hill Avenue.  

For additional information, contact Barone at 330-770-2224.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com