DETROIT ─ The Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph reported that a tent used to serve meals at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen on Meldrum Street took minor damage from a tornado-producing storm on Sept. 3, which also rendered the Capuchin Services Center on Medbury Street without power.
Perishable food items from the Services Center are being transferred to the Gleaner’s Food Bank location in Taylor, as the Capuchins’ latest update from DTE Energy indicates power will be restored there by Sunday.
The Capuchin Soup Kitchen is still in operation, with meals now being served in the community room and employee break room. The kitchen was using a temporary tent to serve meals as its cafeteria is undergoing renovations.
The Capuchins report no other damage or outages at St. Bonaventure Monastery, the Solanus Casey Center or the Connor Street Soup Kitchen.
There are more than 277,000 homes in Michigan without power in the area following the storms, of which the National Weather Service has confirmed there was tornado activity that went through Detroit’s east side.
The Capuchins reported that DTE Energy crews are working near all of their locations, clearing debris and restoring power, which is causing some changes in traffic patterns around them.
"Thanks be to God, our Capuchin ministries came through this storm largely unharmed,” said Bro. Gary Wegner, OFM Cap., executive director of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. “Our meal program sites at Meldrum and Conner are open and serving guests today. At Meldrum, our temporary tent structure sustained some minor damage, so out of an abundance of caution and for the safety of our guests, volunteers, and staff, we've moved service indoors to our community room and employee break room until the tent can be certified as safe.”
“Our commitment to the people of Detroit doesn't pause for a storm, and we're grateful to our staff, volunteers, and partners like Gleaners for helping us keep that promise,” said Bro. Wegner, thanking Gleaners for storing the Capuchin Services Center perishable food items in its warehouse for safekeeping until power is restored.
