Free Food and Meals for Everyone

Free food and meals are available for everyone to enjoy in the Founders Cafe. One entree (meat or vegetarian) with sides is served at every meal service Monday-Saturday.

Meal Service Schedule

Meals are served indoors by volunteer servers at 310 NW Glisan, Monday to Saturday. Closed Sunday. Guests are welcome to multiple servings. Dogs are welcomed if they are well-behaved and on a leash. On-street pay to park.

Breakfast

6:30 to 7:30 a.m.

Hot coffee, oatmeal or grits, pastry, and fruit.

Lunch

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Entree with salad, bread, fruit, and dessert. Variety of drinks.

On Saturdays, we offer sack lunches to take with you.

Dinner

5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Hot entree with bread, salad, fruit, and dessert. Variety of drinks.

Founders Cafe: Free Food and Meals

 

Everyone is invited to Blanchet House to enjoy free hot meals in our beautiful cafe. Since 1952, Blanchet House has offered nutritious meals in a safe, clean, and friendly dining room to anyone who would like them. Volunteers serve everyone with dignity and respect.

Learn more about Blanchet House’s mission.

Woman eating at a table in Blanchet House. Blanchet House founders cafe free food meal services Christine Dong

How It Works

Guests in line for free food and meal services at Blanchet House. credit Justin Katigbak.

Guests usually line up a few minutes prior to our doors opening but do not need to. Come toward the end of the hour if you prefer not to wait in line. Everyone will receive a meal. We never run out of food.

What to expect as a diner:

  • Delicious, nutritious hot meals. (On Saturdays we serve sack lunches.)
  • Meat or vegetarian selection. We cannot accommodate dietary restrictions.
  • All-you-can-eat. You’re welcome to multiple servings. We ask that you get in line for each serving so everyone can eat quickly.
  • Everyone is served the same dishes and portion sizes to ensure equity. We serve an average of 1,200 meals daily.

Our Ingredients

Blanchet House rescues fresh, surplus food from businesses around Portland like Trader Joe’s. We take in more than 300,000 pounds of donated food annually, inspect it for quality, prepare meals and store it, then share extras with peer groups. All other food is purchased from the Oregon Food Bank.

Every dish is prepared, cooked, and served with care by professional cooks, volunteers, and the men residing in our residential program. We strive to serve a balanced plate of protein, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fruit. We also consider the dental challenges of our guests by serving pre-cut soft entrees. It is hard to predict what ingredients might be donated on any given day so we have to be creative with our daily menus.

Call us if you have food to donate at 503-241-4340.

Volunteer

 

It’s easier than ever to make a difference. Sign up to volunteer.

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Donate

 

Give the gift of hot meals. $20 pays for 13 meals with coffee.

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SERVICES

We make a difference, one relationship at a time, through food, clothing, and supportive housing programs.

LEARN

We welcome and serve meals to everyone with compassion and dignity. Join as a guest, a volunteer, a resident, a donor, or a supporter.

GET INVOLVED

There are many people in immediate need of food, clothing, access to hygiene, shelter, community, and hope.

DONATE

Your gift will help stabilize lives by providing meals, transitional housing, and other vital services to vulnerable individuals and families.