The Community Unity Center is a community led, secular third space. This volunteer run mutual aid program seeks to help everyone in the city of Maplewood. We work closely with volunteers and the Maplewood United Methodist Church who graciously allow us to use their church to host our various programs.  We have community fridges to provide meals, our pantries which provide clothing/hygiene/medical supplies, or our info table which helps connect folks to third party programs / assistance.

VISION
We envision a thriving unified community where all are celebrated.

MISSION
To provide a safe space where all enter as equals to cultivate authentic connections, express our unique gifts, and experience the
unifying power of the community.

VALUES
Safety: We hold a safe space by protecting the physical, emotional and spiritual well being of all.
Collaboration: We value collaboration within all relationships, across generations, and socioeconomic differences, through the
intentional practices of openness, active listening, and mutual accountability to achieve shared outcomes. We seek input, feedback
and support from the community to achieve sustainable growth.
Hospitality: We value providing a space to enrich the community through generous acts of service, celebration, respect, and the
connection to resources and knowledge. We believe that everyone has the right to live a full life.
Communication: We are committed to clear, open, and inclusive communication that honors information, ideas, and dreams and is
rooted in love and respect. We foster relationships through kindness, reconciliation, and celebration with the intent to create a
joyful community and environment that honors individuals.

Pop-Up Café

The pride of the C.U.C, our Pop-Up Café offers free warm meals and a place for people to socialize and rest. It is a manifestation of our mission statement.

The main benefit of the Café is to have a set time and date so community members can come in and access the community fridges, pantries, and informational postings. But alongside those things we often have hot food and drinks available and create a space for people to socialize and meet their fellow community members.

Most days, the Café is able to offer breakfast with coffee and pastries, followed by lunch. We're thankful to have food gifted to us by caters, church members, or even made on site with the help of volunteers. Because of that, the Café is totally free, no sign up, proof of need, or payment needed for anything. Visit the Café, get some breakfast and leave for work right after, or bring your work with you and take advantage of our WiFi and fun atmosphere, or just come and chill with your fellow community members. We are welcoming to all! Stop by and make yourself at home!

COFFEE   ☕️   MEALS   🍲   WIFI   💻   CLOTHING   🕺   COMMUNITY


DATE:Thursdays (unless posted otherwise)
TIME:9 AM - 2 PM
LOCATION:&409 Flora Ave. (basement level)

Third Thursday Community Dinners

FAQ

Do I need to bring anything?
No. Just yourself and a willingness to meet new people.

Do I need to attend MUMC to attend the dinners?
No. Dinner guests are largely community members of many differing beliefs and spiritual practices.

Do I need to be experiancing food insecurity to eat?
No! The CUC hopes to create a safe space where neighbors of differing needs, experiences, and backgrounds can all come together safely and build community.

Is the CUC accessible?
No, unfortunately we are not yet very accessible, but are working towards this goal.
DATE:Every 3rd Thursday of the month
TIME:5 - 6:30 PM
LOCATION: 7409 Flora Ave. (basement floor)


The Third Thursday Community Dinners started it all. What began as a way for the community to unite in celebration of our 2023 Summer scholars program, has blossomed into a community run dinner event that has served  over 2500 meals. We hope to make this event nourishing to MRH neighbors in every aspect. Please consider getting involved to help us keep this Monthly community dinner a success!


WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:
  • Menu and meal prep team
  • To-Go meal delivery
  • Set-up/ Clean-up crew
  • Arts and crafts team
  • Offer community services here  (small business/non-profits)
  • Entertainment
  • Resources and information
  • Steering Team

Reach out to CUC.VISTA.B@gmail.com to learn more.

Pantries

The Community Unity Center hosts two pantries. These are open and free for anyone to use and adopt food, clothing, dental supplies, hygiene  products and whatever else get donated to the C.U.C. Our food pantry, which has a variety of canned, dried, and other shelf stable foods, has moved 1000+ pounds of food saving our community thousands of dollars. Our more miscellaneous pantry has a mix of household goods, dental/hygiene supplies, and lots of clothing. We're fully supported by donated goods which both means we never know exactly what we have, and that often have a variety of useful household items that can help stretch your budget just a bit further.

Reach out to CUC.VISTA.B@gmail.com to learn how you can donate.

Fridges

Our two fridges allow us to store fresh fruits and veggies with our freezer holding our many frozen family meals. We're happy to receive donated goods from community members, United Methodist Church members, and caterers. We sometimes store leftovers from our dinners and cafes. Cool drinks, frozen meals, bread products, desserts, are often in these freezer/fridges. Like with our other programs, we are supported by donations so we never know what we have in stock. Refrigerated goods often include dairy products, and fresh produce, all of which has a shorter shelf life, so please take as much as you want from our fridges! No proof of need is required. Both our pantry and fridges operate on abundance.

Reach out to CUC.VISTA.B@gmail.com to learn how you can donate.

Pot Lucks

Our Potlucks are graciously hosted by MUMC’s congregation and leaders, who bring a variety of homemade and purchased items to offer as a collective shared meal. The Potlucks take place every 1st Sunday of the month and start at 12:15. Anyone is welcome to join and there is no requirement to bring a dish to attend.  The Potluck is open to all in the community.

Pantries and Freezers/Fridges are open at this time as well.

New Volunteers

If you would like to volunteer with the C.U.C then please fill out this form below. We are always looking for volunteers to help with our programs, but we prioritize safety for our fellow volunteers and community members and want to ensure those volunteering can feel productive with their time.

Current Volunteers

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you. Fill out the form below to get started.