Everyone is welcome to to walk through our open doors and get a hot prepared meal two times a day, every day of the year.
Meals
Lunch is served from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm and dinner is served from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm.
In a typical year Matt Talbot provides more than 100,000 meals to Lincoln's working poor and homeless. Food pantries are also available for those who do not have enough food at home.
Outreach staff are available in the dining room during meal times to connect people to resources that take care of the whole person - providing beyond basic needs to embolden people to have hope.
SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), provides low-income households with debit cards to buy food each month. Staff from the Food Bank's SNAP Outreach Program come to Matt Talbot on a regular basis to provide information and application assistance to guests in the dining room.
Nutrition
Matt Talbot has a history of being proactive and innovative in making nutrition a priority. Staff work with guests and volunteer hunger relief teams to encourage preparing meals that include low-fat protein and calcium foods, adequate fruits and vegetables (especially fresh or frozen), low sodium foods, as well as whole grains. Maximizing the overall nutritional content of the meals served at Matt Talbot will help guests prevent or manage chronic conditions related to diet such as obesity, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
Our primary nutrition initiative is our Freshen Your Plate program! This initiative enhances the nutritional quality of our meals with the offer of one fresh fruit or vegetable with each plate served. Our goal is to ensure that everyone who dines with us receives nutritious food that supports their overall health and well-being.
Matt Talbot also has a community garden onsite called "Hope Garden". Matt Talbot plants and maintains a vegetable and herb garden on the grounds with the help of guests and volunteers. Come take a tour if you have never seen our lovely Hope Garden—we’d love to show you around!
Nutrition Classes
Nutrition classes are offered at Matt Talbot every fourth Wednesday of the month at 10 AM. These classes are taught by educators from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. They provide education and guidance on how to prepare nutrient-dense meals and snacks, as well as how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Topics include:
- MyPlate
- Plan: Know What's for Dinner
- Shop: Get the Best for Less Shop for Value
- Check the Facts (nutrition fact labels) - Choosing to Move More Throughout the Day
- Smart Size Your Portions, the Right Size for You
- Fix it Safe (food safety)
Classes are generally held on the last Wednesday of the month. In the case of a holiday or weather event, please contact Victoria O'Neil at victoria.oneil@mtko.org to verify the status of the class.
To sign up, visit the reception desk or call (402) 477-4116.
Hope Garden
Matt Talbot has a history of being proactive and innovative in making nutrition a priority. In 2005, Susanne Blue and Janet Buck created the onsite Hope Garden at Matt Talbot's original location on R Street. When we moved to our current location the garden came too!
With the help of Green School Farms, volunteers, and our Director of Hunger Relief & Volunteerism, our garden has expanded. This space is full of vegetables, herbs, and fruit that we incorporate into our meals or give to guests.
Our produce includes cucumbers, peppers, corn, squash, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, mint, cilantro, strawberries, and so much more. Check out these recipes to learn how we include these delicious foods into our meals.
