More Than a Meal
At CSK, we understand that hunger is often accompanied by a lack of access to other essentials. That is why we offer a range of basic needs services — including clothing, public showers, and personal care kits — to help our guests maintain their dignity and well-being. These services are offered at no cost and with no preconditions.
Shower Program Impact
211 private showers provided in 2025— a 189%increase from 2024
CSK operates New Haven’s only year-round independent public shower program, providing dignity and essential hygiene services to those without access to basic facilities. In 2025, we provided 211 private showers — a 189% increase from the prior year. Each guest receives personal hygiene kits and access to fresh clothing.
Public Shower Program Policies & Procedures
Thank you to the Cornell Scott Healthcare for the Homeless (CSHH) Team for helping us with this program.
Days and Hours of Operation
Mondays (Female Guests Only)
- Open: 9:00 AM
- Close: 11:00 AM
- Trained Oversight and Supervision: (1) Female Supervisor, (1) Female Attendant
Thursdays (Male Guests Only)
- Open: 9:00 AM
- Close: 11:00 AM
- Trained Oversight and Supervision: (1) Male Supervisor, (1) Male Attendant
Operating Procedures
- Shower Stalls & Changing Areas: (3) available
- Pre-Registration: Sign up for specific time slots in CSK Dining Room
- Time Slots: 15 minutes each
- Exit Notification: Initial request at 10 minutes
- 5-Minute Transition: Move to sinks/bathrooms
- Policy on Time Compliance:
- First Infraction: Warning
- Second Infraction: Written Notice
- Third Infraction: Disqualification from future use
Policies
- Changing Areas: Please use designated areas connected to shower stalls
- Exit Notification: 10-minute reminder, 5 minutes to clean up and exit
- Return Items:
- Used towels to the laundry bin
- Used flip-flops to soapy water bins
- Clean Up: Ensure the shower stall is clean for the next guest
- Prohibited Items:
- No weapons
- No substance use
- No razors
CSK Clothing Program
In partnership with Midnight Run Community, CSK operates one of New Haven's most active clothing distribution programs. In 2025, we distributed over 2,200 pieces of clothing and 1,100 jackets to adults and children in need. Our annual holiday coat drive is one of our most successful initiatives, with particular demand for women's and children's sizes.
Clothing distribution takes place every Tuesday from 11am to 1pm at 84 Broadway, and is also available at our 75 Hamilton Street warehouse location. Items distributed include jackets, shoes, socks, sleeping bags, blankets, and seasonal clothing.
2025 Clothing Distribution Highlights
+
jackets distributed (992 adult, 100+ children's)
+
pieces of clothing
+
pairs of socks
+
pairs of shoes
Sleeping bags and blankets distributed during cold weather months
In October 2025, we improved the quality and nutritional value of the food being packed in our CHIPP meal kits, ensuring that children receive even more wholesome meals to sustain them over the weekends.
Local Organizations Helping to Make a Difference
Food insecurity is oftentimes accompanied by lack of access to other essential resources. CSK partners with local organizations to provide onsite access to these essential services to our guests, turning our kitchen into a one-stop shop for our clients in need of support. We address our clients' health on many levels, providing services ranging from healthy meals to long-term health solutions.
Hypertension Awareness & Prevention Program at Yale (HAPPY) is a collaboration of Yale University students, health professionals, and New Haven health care organizations dedicated to providing free, regular hypertension screenings, linking hypertensive individuals with affordable and immediate medical care, and eliminating barriers to follow-up care for under-served communities in New Haven.
HAPPY provides free blood pressure screenings to guests of CSK on-site between 11:00am-1:00pm on Fridays and from 8:00-9:00am on Saturdays each week.
Street Medicine ensures health equity through access to quality medical care for Greater New Haven’s unreached houseless population. Through direct and regular medical outreach, our Doctors, APRNs, and Physician Assistants provide direct medical care in the streets, shelters, encampments, soup kitchens, and drop-in centers. The Street medicine team bridges the gaps and barriers the houseless experience in receiving medical care through traditional means. The team’s success is driven by care over a continuum that starts by building relationships and offering companionship and respect. In doing so, we meet the patient where they are to address their unique psychosocial and health care needs. Foot care, wound care, medication prescriptions or refills, blood and imaging tests as needed, urgent care, referral to specialists including mental health professionals and addiction medicine, std testing and treatment, HIV prevention treatment (PrEP), Hepatitis C treatment, provide primary care until patient established with primary care for 18 and over.
