New soup kitchen to open July 18

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning Valley’s newest soup kitchen will officially open July 18.

Our Community Kitchen will offer breakfast and lunch and programs for the less fortunate.

“I like to say that we are offering more than just feeding the people,” said Ralph “Skip” Barone, kitchen manager at Our Community Kitchen. “We are trying to get them on their own.”

The nearly 6,500-square-foot soup kitchen at 551 Mahoning Ave. is sponsored by the Anthony Cocca Family Foundation.

Plans for the building, which were submitted by Boardman-based Cocca Development Ltd. to Youngstown’s Design Review Committee, were approved in February.

“We made the commitment to build the building and purchase all the equipment needed to open the kitchen. We will never allow the kitchen to be unable to serve food to the needy and will fund any money necessary to be sure that will continue,” Kelly Cocca said on behalf of the family.

Read more about the new facility in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.