IKEA New Haven Workers Donate To Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen

NEW HAVEN, CT —This week, as part of its holiday drive, IKEA New Haven co-workers donated food and clothing to the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen.

The donations were made to DESK director Luis Olmo-Rivera and office administrator, Gigi Levesque.

“We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful group of co-workers at IKEA New Haven," Jeff Zeitlin, Loyalty Manager for IKEA New Haven said. "They wanted to do this and lead by our co- worker Engagement Forum made it a success and a wonderful gesture of community support. This is a 100 percent co-worker initiative and separate from the collection of soft toys from the public for Yale Children's Hospital that we do each holiday season.”

About Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK)

DESK began in 1987 as a grassroots, community response to the sudden rise in homelessness on the New Haven Green. Over the years, their program and services have grown to respond to an increase in the need with more complex services, progressive strategies, and empathic approaches. Originally a program of Downtown Cooperative Ministries, DESK was incorporated as an independent, non-denominational organization in 1989. In 2003, they expanded to serve dinner five nights per week and added a weekly Food Pantry program. In 2021, DESK opened New Haven’s first low-barrier, Downtown Drop-in & Resource Center for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness at 266 State Street.

About IKEA

At IKEA, the vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people by offering affordable, high-quality home furnishings and solutions, produced with care for people and the environment. With IKEA retail operations in over 32 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents about 90 percent of IKEA retail sales. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. IKEA New Haven celebrates its 20th anniversary July 28, 2024.