Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach grew out of concern for low income and homeless alcoholics. Former MTKO board member, Mary Costello, was a member of the Lincoln Diocesan Council for Alcohol & Drug Rehabilitation. She was also a member of Calix, a Catholic organization comparable to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). In the summer of 1992, the idea of providing a meal in order to reach those who may be in need arose. It wasn’t long until enough volunteers were organized to serve a meal one night a week. In September 1992, they began serving meals each Saturday evening.
As more and more people volunteered, coordinated through the efforts of longtime volunteer Ruth McKinstry, teams were organized and gradually reached the point of serving meals every night of the week. Meals were served out of Daywatch, another service organization serving the homeless at the time. With no kitchen or dining facility, meals were prepared at home and brought in to be served using paper plates and plastic utensils.
A fundraising drive was established in November of 1993 with the goal of
renovating an adjacent space equipped with a kitchen and dining facility.
The first meal in the new kitchen was served on January 2, 1995! In March
of 1995, Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach began serving lunches every weekend.
Not long after, October 1998, weekday lunches were served. In 2003 another
renovation was completed to update the food preparation area, expand the overcrowded
dining room, and create additional office space for new staff.
Who is Matt Talbot
