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A New Café in Camden, N.J., Serves Its Community With More Than Lunch

By Pat Loeb

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Camden officials today celebrated another sign of the city's revitalization with a ribbon-cutting for a new café.

But this is not just any café.

The "CK" in CK Cafe stands for Cathedral Kitchen -- a nonprofit organization that in its 40-year history has gone from four volunteers using borrowed crockpots in a school basement to feed the homeless, to a multi-service provider and culinary school.  And, with this latest endeavor, a catering kitchen and lunchspot.

"When CK says it's changing lives one plate at a time, I'm living proof of its success," said LeBaron Harvey, who now manages a large kitchen, at today's ceremonies.  He remembers arriving at CK's culinary school with a chip on his should and introducing himself to the head chef:

"I said, 'I been down three years and I just beat two life sentences.'  And he said, 'That's great.  Now go wash dishes.' "

ck cafe 2 _loeb
(LeBaron Harvey describes his early involvement with Cathedral Kitchen and how it helped him. Photo by Pat Loeb)

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Harvey says he came to realize that CK doesn't care where you come from, only where it can take you.

"That's why this is not just another restaurant," he told the assembled dignitaries.  "It's hope and opportunity."

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