COMMUNITY PROFILE MISS KAY OFFERS A HAVEN FOR HUNGER BY DOUG HRDLICKA WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE DINING ROOM at Haven of Hope any preconceptions of what it may be like are washed away, and you are left with a welcoming feeling. Your meal is brought to you, and each bite is imbued with the nostalgia of home cooking. The noise of kitchenware clinking and coworkers laughing spills from the kitchen into the dining room, and all at once, the troubles of the world fade into the background while everyone eats. Miss Kay, the head chef, arrives at Haven of Hope at 5:45 a.m., five days a week, to begin lunch prep. She oversees food service and decides what meals are going out. The oven is preheated to 350 degrees, and lunch begins cooking while breakfast is being served. Today, seasoned chicken is on the menu. VOLUNTEERS. CREDIT: DOUG HRDLICKA The chicken, so tender the meat falls off the bone, is paired with baked green beans and carrots with butter. Miss Kay’s cooking is exceedingly delicious, and anyone taking part will forget where they are and be taken to a place of comfort and safety. “I make everything here. Pretty much everything,” said Miss Kay. “I don’t do much frying here. Everything is boiled or baked. Once in a while, we’ll order fried chicken from King Soopers for the occasional holiday.” The food, which is donated, arrives every Thursday, and the dishes Miss Kay makes depend on what all was delivered. Sometimes, she serves spaghetti, and other times, she serves pinto beans with turkey - two classic dishes that are favorites among the diners. Occasionally, they will get in steaks, which is always a treat. Like most cuisine, the food that Miss Kay cooks inspires a sense of community at Haven of Hope. For many, that feeling of belonging and security is essential. “People feel safe here, and that’s what they want, to feel safe and be treated like human beings,” said Miss Kay. Serving meals has been a tradition at Haven of Hope since its inception in 2003. During the early years, food was served from an 800-square-foot house and fed between 80 and 90 people. Over the years, the organization has grown. MISS KAY. CREDIT: DOUG HRDLICKA VOLUNTEERS. CREDIT: DOUG HRDLICKA 10 DENVER VOICE July 2021
11 Publizr Home