The Marian House Story

Soup kitchen operations in Colorado Springs began in 1970 when a local resident began feeding the hungry out of his own home. Thirteen meals were served the first day.

The soup kitchen was later housed in two church basements before moving in 1985 to its current location in the Marian House, a Victorian-style home at 14 W. Bijou Street

Catholic Charities of Central Colorado took over operation of the soup kitchen in 1994 and by the next year was serving meals to about 275 people a day. The Marian House is the only soup kitchen in the Pikes Peak region that offers a hot meal 365 days of the year, and Catholic Charities is the largest provider of free meals to those in need.

Catholic Charities’ Marian House Soup Kitchen feeds people who are hungry in downtown Colorado Springs. About 400 – 450 meals per day are served to the working poor, those with mental and physical disabilities, people who are homeless and hungry, fixed-income seniors, and struggling families. No one is turned away.

There is more than hot, nutritious food on the menu. To help its guests improve their quality of life, Marian House also offers:

• Case Management which provides information and referral services to assist in obtaining identification, clothing and bus tokens, other emergency needs; and in conjunction with Ecumenical Social Ministries help in job-search efforts.An on-site medical clinic for people who are homeless, operated as a partnership with S.E.T. of Colorado Springs;
• Free transportation to other agencies offering housing assistance, counseling services, and doctor’s appointments, to name a few;
• Showers and haircuts two days a week; (temporarily suspended until renovation of the Marian House is complete – estimated to be in 2008)
• An outreach program in which donated items are distributed to the poor and vulnerable in various areas of the region who are unable to get to the Marian House for support.