Where Neighbors Gather
THE GATHERING PLACE
If you’re in need of a meal, The Gathering Place is here for you. Every night, from five to six o’clock, The Gathering Place serves dinner for anyone in need at 1448 E Street. “Our job is to make sure that for the hour our guests are here, they’re safe, welcome, and fed,” says Lisa Janssen, Gathering Place Administrator. The space offers neighbors facing hunger a place to gather with no questions asked.
Here for Today, Here for Tomorrow
Many people in our community rely on The Gathering Place for a hot, healthy meal. In 2025, more than 55,300 meals were served from a kitchen measuring just 100 square feet, roughly the size of a small bedroom.
As Lincoln’s population grows, The Gathering Place is preparing to grow with it. The organization plans to move just down the street into a space twice as large, with an expanded kitchen and dining area to serve even more meals. By fall 2027, The Gathering Place will open its doors at 919 S. 12th Street, inside a new brick building designed for the future.
During the transition, meals will continue at the original location. The warmth guests expect will remain the same. “There will still be a front porch, and it will still feel like home,” Lisa says. Stop by if you need a hot dinner and a welcoming place to sit.
Anyone Can Help Our Guests
Kids can help make The Gathering Place feel like home for our guests. You could organize a food drive with friends and family to collect and donate pantry items or participate in a community service project and raise money to help your family make a financial donation. Every little bit helps the community we live in.
Items we accept: Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, soap), diapers & wipes, toilet paper, new socks, blankets, coats, hats & gloves, easy-open shelf-stable foods, and kids’ books.
Community Action Helps Those in Need
The Gathering Place is a program of Community Action Partnership of Lancaster and Saunders Counties, an organization whose goal is to create a community where we all have the resources to provide for ourselves and those we care for.
Learn about all Community Action programs and opportunities at communityactionatwork.org.