Services at Main Street Location: (directions and map)

- Full Descriptions below -

• Emergency Food Box Program
• Clothing Store
• Soul Feast
• Emergency Assistance
• Co-op Cafe
• Breakfast Brigade
• Sack Lunches
• Soup-to-Go

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Emergency Food Box Program

ENCM is an emergency food box satellite of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Approximately 500 food boxes are distributed on a monthly basis to resident households of 37206 and 37213. ENCM is one of the three largest food box distribution sites in Nashville. This program is designed to be a “hand-up” rather than a “hand-out.” As such, there criteria for qualification; that is, proof of address and proof of one’s SSN. This program can be used only three times per household every six month period.

In addition to the food provided by Second Harvest, Eaton’s Creek Organics, Publix, Kroger, Panera Bread Company, Provence Breads & Café also donate whole, perishable food to supplement food boxes and freely give to the community. Our member churches also donate food to help us meet the hunger need. Donations from all these agencies and our McCoy Memorial Garden harvest make providing emergency yet well-balanced food assistance possible.

Clothing Store

ENCM maintains a clothing closet to serve homeless, refugees, ex-offenders, group homes, and other social service agencies on a referral basis. All other persons pay prices under five dollars to purchase clothing items and household goods. Tuesday and Thursday, most clothes items are reduced to 25 cents. Purchasing goods for a small amount helps to provide persons with a sense of dignity and encourages responsibility. Without a steady flow of clothing donations from the community, the store would not be equipped to meet this most basic need of our neighbors.

Soul Feast

Most have heard the adage “giving a man a fish satisfies his hunger, teaching a man to fish satisfies his hunger for a lifetime.” Here at ENCM we believe that as Christians we are called to love our neighbors by both giving fish and teaching to fish. This is not enough. We are also called to eat fish with others—even those that are strangers—as our neighbors and our equals. One way we practice this at ENCM is around the table. This is less a soup kitchen atmosphere and more resembles the dining room table at home. This fellowship is called Soul Feast, and our member churches are encouraged to participate.

Emergency Assistance

ENCM provides assistance to people in need including personal care items, hats, gloves and blankets, infant formula and diapers, and meal boxes (for those who don’t qualified for the Second Harvest Program). ENCM also provides access to phones and referral services.

Co-op Cafe

Broken relationships are at the heart of human depravity–and poverty.  As a community-focused agency, we are committed to building healthy relationships that traverse social barriers and encourage diverse community.  One simple way we do this is as many cultures have done for centuries: we share conversation over good coffee and fresh pastries.  On Wednesday mornings at 7:30am a diverse group of neighbors enjoy fresh brew, a light breakfast, and good East Nashvillian company.

Breakfast Brigade

Every Tuesday morning we host the Salvation Army Breakfast Brigade.  This program is simple yet vitally important: our parking lot becomes an extensive breakfast serving cafeteria for over a hundred hungry men and women.  Each receives a warm breakfast and a cup of coffee.

Sack Lunches

Every day we provide a minimum of 25 free sack lunches to neighbors. These sack lunches are not intended for food-box eligible households, but are instead intended for the homeless, local laborers that struggle to afford lunch, or passersby that may be hungry. We provide these lunches every day we’re open from noon to 12:30pm.

Soup-to-Go

Between the months of November and March, ENCM offers a warm cup of soup or stew to guests at the Co-op.  Nothing says “welcome” like warm soup on a cold day.  Guests from all walks of life come to enjoy soup that our volunteers make from scratch.  Come and sit, or take our soup-to-go on the road!