The Thomas Merton Center has been providing essential services like food and pantry giveaways to the people of Bridgeport since 1974.
The new headquarters will open in December at 1406 State St. Workers say it will be even bigger and better, providing more essential services to the community.
Operations manager Sabine Kuczo, gave News 12 Connecticut’s Frank Recchia a tour of the new center on Monday to showcase their progress.
“We are very excited to showcase our new facility here,” says Kuczo.
There was a wide array of fresh foods, sourced from Saint Anthony of Padua, that clients like Danny Concepcion say keeps them coming back.
“They welcome everybody, and they love everybody,” says Concepcion.
Kuczo says in addition to food, the new location will offer immigration, housing, medical and educational services.
“You know, as we want to do at Catholic Charities, we want to give a hand up — and this will be the opportunity to do so,” says Kuczo.
She says the old location was in need of repairs, so when the new center opens the old one will close. However, the mission of helping people will remain the same.
“Today is World Hunger Day but at Thomas Merton it is Hunger Day every day,” says Kuczo.
There will be a ribbon-cutting for the new facility on Nov. 30.