Started in 2007 Dinner with Grace was started at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco by a group of parishners & Rev. Will Scott. Meeting once a month to cook a full healthy meal and serve it with elegance to members of the Mentone Hotel in the Tenderloin district, the core team of has expanded the volunteer base and built a solid relationship with Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco who runs the Mentone and several other SRO (Single Residence Occupancy) hotels in the city.

The goals of the program remain the same today:

• Serve home-cooked meal
• Use fresh ingredients
• Cook food that we all want to eat
• Enjoy the meal together
• Create a safe place for discussion and community to form

FROM GRACE MAGAZINE 2008

Towed cars, spaghetti sauce disasters, and last-minute “We’ll order pizza!” decisions: Somehow, Dinner with Grace is always served.

In spring 2007, Regan Murphy of Episcopal Community Services approached Associate Pastor Will Scott about serving a monthly meal for the residents of the Mentone Hotel, a single-resident-only hotel at the corner of Ellis and Jones. At any given time, between 40 and 60 people live at the Mentone, which is managed by ECS and offers permanent housing to those who have participated in San Francisco’s Care Not Cash program.

Through outreach, planning, and occasionally scrambling, Dinner with Grace was born. The meal is served on the Wednesday of each month that falls just before the 15th. Now, a year into the endeavor, a group of those who have volunteered regularly have come together as a core team to further develop this ministry: We’re actively recruiting a larger volunteer network—including Mentone residents themselves—formalizing job descriptions, and brainstorming new ways to benefit the Mentone population.

One new activity that has proved popular already is Cooking with Grace. On the Tuesday night prior to our Mentone visit, volunteers prepare the meal in advance, working from about 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the chapter house kitchen. If you have a tough work schedule, Cooking with Grace is a great opportunity to get involved—if you can join us anytime after 5:30, you will surely have something to do in the kitchen.

There are many ways to get involved. If you don’t enjoy cooking, you could do the week’s shopping—we’ll provide you with a handy list. We also need people who can help set up the dining room and greet guests at the Mentone. Or you could just provide beverages. We’re taking all comers! Send e-mail to dinnerwithgrace@gracecathedral.org for more information and a schedule. We can’t wait to see you.