PHOTO BY DEBBIE SADLON

Thursday, June 18, 2026; St. Augustine Family Center, 2346 W. 14^th (W. 14 & Kenilworth): On his way to have lunch at the St. Augustine Family Center, this resident finds the entrance to the dining hall marked by a statue of Saint Vincent de Paul—the patron saint of all charitable works and societies.

   (Plain Press July 2026) On May 18^th the St. Augustine Hunger Center moved from its long-time location in the St. Augustine Church Hall at 1400 Howard Avenue to a larger, fully renovated site at 2346 W. 14^th, (W. 14^th and Kenilworth) a block north of St. Augustine Church in the Tremont neighborhood. The new location is called the St. Augustine Family Center.

“This new space allows us to deepen our commitment to the Tremont community,” said Malorie Phillips, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland. “We are not only increasing access to meals and essential services, but we are also creating a place where individuals and families can connect to broader support that helps stabilize and strengthen their lives.”

The St. Augustine Family Center will offer two daily hot meals, food pantry services, and emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities. In addition, clients will have direct access to other Catholic Charities programs housed at the site including Disability Services & Ministries, Job & Career Training programs, and Behavioral Health – Counseling Services. By bringing multiple programs under one roof, Catholic Charities says the center enables a more coordinated approach to care, helping individuals move from immediate assistance to longer-term stability.

Catholic Charities Director of Emergency Assistance Services Eric Milkie says the St. Augustine Family Center serves breakfast and lunch from Monday through Friday. The Center is open for breakfast from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and lunch is served from noon to 1:30 p.m. The dining hall is closed on the second Monday of each month for cleaning. The dining hall is accessed from the door on the west side of the building.

The additional support services offered at the St. Augustine Family Center are on the east side of the building. Milkie says the support services side of the building is open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday.

Catholic Charities says the St. Augustine Family Center increases the organization’s ability to respond to food insecurity and financial instability in the neighborhood by expanding the kitchen capacity to serve more meals daily; providing a larger, more welcoming dining space; improving accessibility for individuals and families; and connecting clients to additional services in one location.

In the new location, Catholic Charities will continue its partnership with St. Augustine Parish, maintaining the strong community relationship that has defined the hunger center for decades. The new name, St. Augustine Family Center, reflects an expanded mission to serve the whole individual and family while honoring the center’s legacy in Tremont.

   Catholic Charities officials said the move keeps the hunger center in the neighborhood it has served for more than 50 years and expands its ability to meet rising community needs. In 2024, St. Augustine Hunger Center served a total of 116,022 meals to individuals and families in need in the community.

   “Food insecurity in Cleveland is only getting worse as our community faces the hardships of economic inequality and limited access to healthy food,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland. “St. Augustine Parish and the hunger center have been essential to our emergency assistance network, and they exemplify the value of seeing every individual in the image and likeness of God. We are honored for the opportunity to help build upon this legacy and strengthen our collective impact.”

Catholic Charities says this project was made possible through the support of two generous donors, whose investment helped bring the vision for this expanded center to life.