Rainbow Kitchen is operated by the Victoria Rainbow Kitchen Society. The Kitchen was previously run by St Saviour’s Anglican Church until it was disestablished on March 31, 2010. The society was incorporated on March 26 and took over governance of the Kitchen on April 1, 2010.
Rainbow Kitchen was first opened in 2001. Its original purpose was captured by Taproot (Together Against Poverty Society: TAPS) newsletter:
“The services available to the poor in Victoria are not always suited to all people in poverty. The specific needs of women in poverty, in particular, have been largely unaddressed. As a result, many poor women find themselves isolated and without support… it was decided that Saint Saviour’s could be involved in meeting that need. Saint Saviour’s formed a committee of concerned members of the community, who got together and decided they wanted to provide a place where women could gather, have a good meal, meet other women in similar circumstances, share their experiences in poverty, and organize to fight for change.” Taproot, Dec 2002 Issue 28.
Other food programs are associated with shelters and are mostly providing these services for men. Men started to come to Rainbow Kitchen soon after its opening. They quickly understood and learned to respect the place, and to care for it. Some of the people who came would tell others to be respectful and leave if they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In addition, it was felt that Rainbow Kitchen’s purpose was strongly connected to providing an opportunity for anyone to not only come for a meal but also for companionship and a sense of being cared for. This was an opportunity for the Christian community to live out the word of Christ by allowing everyone to come to the table to eat. Those attending Rainbow Kitchen would not be subject to evangelism but the program was seen as an outreach program and provided an entry point for those choosing to become part of the church community.