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Below is a letter to the editor from our board chair, Phil Wallingford, which was published in the Concord Monitor on July 13:
On behalf of the Friendly Kitchen, I would like to thank the community for its generous support in the two months since the fire.
As you may know, the Friendly Kitchen did not move forward earlier this month with a request to the zoning board for variances to rebuild on Montgomery Street. Sadly, it has become clear that although our case for zoning board approval is strong, some abutters will challenge any variance we are granted in court. While we are confident in our legal case, we do not believe a protracted court battle - which could delay reconstruction for several years - is in the best interest of our guests or the best use of the community's generous contributions.
Our mission is to feed the hungry. While our hosts at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church have been extraordinarily welcoming and generous, they will eventually need their space back.
Our lack of a permanent home is impacting our ability to serve our guests as well as we would like. For example, we're turning away donations of fresh food because of the lack of refrigerated storage space. That is why we have begun to search for a new permanent home. We are determined to use your generous donations wisely to rebuild in a new location that is accessible to the people we serve and suitable for our long-term needs. We have not found the right location yet, but we will keep you updated on our efforts.
We continue to need your financial help to support our ongoing operations to help us move to a new location. Donate or learn more at thefriendlykitchen.org.
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