When Ricci Neer opened Comanche Corner Café in late 2019, she never imagined a global pandemic would redefine her vision for serving the community. But that global health crisis was the beginning of her call to action. “Food prices began to spiral out of control, and most have yet to come back down,” Neer shared. When push came to shove, Neer reflected and reimagined the possibilities of how a kitchen can operate and provide for the community.
That search for a better way led to a space where scratch-made meals and social missions meet. Coming to fruition in 2025, Neer is happy to launch Community Kitchen CC.
“The mission of Community Kitchen is to provide hot, scratch-made meals while supporting three social mission-based food programs,” Neer said. It’s called Community Kitchen, and the work behind the scenes is personal and intimate. Three programs are at the heart of the kitchen: D-Cup Soup serves women who are escaping crisis situations; Pay It Forward is for families in temporary hardship; and the soon-to-launch Latchkey Program aims to feed kids who come home to empty kitchens after school.
Each initiative is quietly built into the day-to-day operations, as the kitchen is public-facing. However, the resources are subtly operating for those who need them. “Anyone can come and ask for a D-Cup Soup for a woman and her caretaker, no questions asked,” Neer explained.
No stranger to feeding others, Neer has been a familiar name in the local food scene through Comanche Corner Café and Savor at 555. The concept of Community Kitchen began with prayer and a longing for light, as Neer’s prior locations in the 555 building and on Comanche Street lacked windows. What started as a church cafeteria is slowly becoming something else, something more significant—a real kitchen with real light where nourishment meets purpose.
Neer’s faith is both a religious testament and a nod to her roll-up-the-sleeves attitude and dedication to the surrounding community. “I seriously didn’t want to keep raising prices to stay afloat. I thought there had to be a way to do what I love on a large scale by affordably feeding people,” she said.
In the early days, funding came from community donations and a SpotFund campaign, which helped raise the initial capital, with donations pouring in from people eager to help turn her vision into reality.
Still, the work is ongoing. Now, Neer would like to begin developing a staff that cooks with intention, hot trays of ready-made food and enough support that no one has to compromise among health, comfort and cost.
Looking ahead, Neer envisions a fully trained team that infuses each dish with purpose and love. “It really does make a difference you can taste and feel,” she said.
Community Kitchen CC may have started with a prayer, but it continues with intention, heart and the belief that a shared meal can nourish far more than just hunger.
Contact: 900 S. Shoreline Blvd. | 361.271.0723
