Located at The Temple at Forest Manor Church of God in Christ, Temple Community Outreach is a standalone organization that provides a wide range of outreach and basic needs services to the Northeast community. These include a diaper bank, feminine hygiene products distribution, a literacy initiative (partnered with Near West DIP-IN partner, Black Worldschoolers), and a food pantry.
The organization identified an opportunity to expand the reach of its food pantry, which started off as a stocked refrigerator where the community could take what they needed and donate what they could.
In early 2025, Temple Community Outreach received DIP-IN funding to take their pantry to the next level – upgrading the area to a commercial grade kitchen. This upgrade enables them to increase food distribution and be positioned to provide complementary services like cooking demonstrations, nutrition workshops, and an overall community meeting space.
With DIP-IN support, the kitchen was outfitted with a five-bin steam table, new range, double ovens, and microwave, as well as a three-compartment sink and dedicated handwashing station. These improvements also brought the space into full health code compliance. Check out the photos below to see how the renovation unfolded from start to finish!
With the kitchen renovation complete, Temple Community Outreach is now advancing its vision for the space. Planned programming for the Northeast community includes:
- Hot lunches for children during school breaks (spring, summer, holidays)
- Hot lunch service on designated days open to community members of all ages
- Integration of food service into existing ministries in meaningful and sustainable ways
This work is also made possible through additional partnerships with organizations such as Gleaners Food Bank, Second Helpings Indy, Indy Community Pantry, and more.
We are excited to see how this new kitchen builds on the strong foundation already in place at Temple Community Outreach, creating even more opportunities to meet basic needs and foster connections for neighbors in the Northeast community.
