In April 2001, thanks to a grant from Marietta Community Foundation, and the purchase of restaurant supplies from a business in St. Mary’s, the ECEF installed a new commercial kitchen, renovated the café  and by June The Living Rivers Café was serving meals to the public, delivering meals for take-out business and doing catering.

That same month ECEF becomes Marietta’s first open site for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).  The café served supper to the students of the SLS program and by Spring of 2002 this supper was reimbursed by the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

Since then, the SLS students, Middle School students, the Wild World 4-H participants and the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club have all benefited from this program and received either a good nutritious supper or a healthy after school snack.​