The program kitchen is one of the least public but most essential aspects of Goodman Community Center's work. Nestled into the Ironworks building, the small but efficient institutional kitchen cranks out hot, fresh meals on weekdays for Goodman program participants and several external partners including SSM Health’s Meals on Wheels program.
Feeding ages 3 to 103
The needs for meals from the program kitchen are varied. The youngest recipients are 3 years old in GCC’s child care program, and the oldest are 103 in the older adult program.
The food must meet stringent nutritional guidelines and meals must be tasty enough for recipients to enjoy them. The older adults who visit Goodman for lunch wouldn’t come if the meals were unappetizing. And, as any parent knows, kids can be the harshest of food critics. Yet the food often gets high marks, even from picky middle schoolers.
Spotlight: Meals on Wheels
Since 2023, GCC's program kitchen has prepared the meals for SSM Health’s Meals on Wheels program.
The team prepares an average of 280 meals every day, packaging them in easy-to-open containers. These are placed in insulated bags to maintain a safe temperature and are delivered to designated distribution points, where Meals on Wheels volunteers transport them to each recipient's home. The meal delivery process not only provides lunch, but the volunteers also provide a friendly face and daily contact to those at risk of isolation at home.
SSM Health runs the Meals on Wheels program serving Madison and Monona. See their website for more info about this important program.
April 28, 2025
Beth Skogen Photography
From Eastside News: Ron Dayne anchors Goodman’s program kitchen team
The Great Dayne does great things at Goodman Community Center.
Geographically, the Goodman Community Center program kitchen isn’t that far from where Camp Randall Stadium is — just a 15-minute drive — but few would have expected that GCC is the place where football legend Ron Dayne gets things done these days. And yet, there he is on most mornings, efficiently slotting bread rolls into small compartments of compostable food trays to the tinny music from a Bluetooth speaker.
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For more information about the Program Kitchen contact:
Tony Manowske
Program Kitchen Manager
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Nellie Brown
Nutrition Administration Manager
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