Toni’s Kitchen has released results of the latest survey of our guests.  We surveyed 105 guests of Toni’s and asked them questions about their health, their food needs, and their social life.  The survey shows that our guests are a diverse group with specific needs.  Gathering the information through this survey will help us tailor our services to make sure that we target our guests’ needs.

 

Our guests are diverse, but they also have a lot of things in common.  Many of them are from right here in Montclair: Almost 1 in 5 of our guests say they attended the Montclair Public Schools as a child.

 

The community in our dining room reflects the rich diversity of our community.  53% of guests identify as white; 36% as black and 15% as Hispanic.

 

Seniors in our community are facing special challenges.  The high cost of living is forcing many to take steps to reduce the amount they are spending on food.  We have a lot of seniors at Toni’s Kitchen: 57 percent of our guests surveyed are 55 and older.  And our guests are an educated group: 55 percent have some college credits, a college degree, or a Master’s degree.

 

57 percent of our guests rent or own the place they live.  20 percent report they are either homeless, live in a shelter, or have housing that is “not stable.”

 

Many of our guests are not working: 27 percent told us they are out of work and looking for a job.  16 percent say they are unable to work.  And 13 percent are retired.

 

“This survey gives us further insight into what brings guests into our dining room and what is helpful to them to support their health and independence,” said Anne Mernin, Director of Toni’s Kitchen.  “It sheds light on the rich diversity of their backgrounds and challenges and our need to tailor our work to be effective.”

 

Over the next few months, we will be highlighting different areas of the survey results to help educate our community about our guests and their needs.

 

You can see the entire survey results here: http://tk.slechurch.org/tonis-kitchen-survey-full-results/

 

Thanks to Toni’s Kitchen Advisory Committee members Sybil Eng, Dane Armbrust, Kris Bromley, Jessica Troupe and Sharon White, and volunteers Stacey Cermak and Florence Mcalvanah, who worked on the survey.