Mary Grothe had a rough start to adulthood, struggling with drugs, alcohol, and bouts of homelessness.
“I had no compass, no direction,” Mary says. “I was in a bad way, but I got this fire inside of me. I felt destined for more.”
She thought she found her place in the business world, where she became a top sales representative at a payroll company, won awards, and “traded the addictive lifestyle of drugs and alcohol for success,” she says. Despite the accolades, Mary still felt miserable.
“I had done everything the world told me to do,” she shares. “I was so empty on the inside, and I was miserable, and I just started begging and praying.”
Mary turned to the Bible, noticing how Jesus went to people to meet their needs.
“That was the simplicity of the gospel,” Mary says. “And I’m sitting here thinking to myself, ‘Have I completely overcomplicated everything in my life? Would I get my little slice of heaven here on Earth if I simply surrendered my life and served people?’”
This epiphany led Mary to open Sunday Salmon, a nonprofit that serves free meals to the Castle Rock community.
In fall of 2024, Mary quit her job, sold everything she owned of value, including her dream car, and set out to extend her Sunday Salmon dinner to everyone.
On Sunday, January 5, 2025, she served Sunday Salmon’s first dinner at 207 Wolfensberger Road, Suite 100, in Castle Rock.
Today, the nonprofit and its volunteers serve 180 to 200 free dinners each Sunday. Meals include salmon, chicken, or pork and sides such as roasted broccoli, honey-glazed carrots, and rice. Every meal is allergen-friendly, organic, and gluten-free. RSVPs for Sunday dinners are encouraged.
While donations are welcome, Mary wants each meal to be a gift.
“I never want a diner to have to choose between putting a few dollars towards this meal or putting gas in their car. I can’t have it,” she says. “This is my family dinner. This is literally the same dinner I held in my house for 10 years. We just have a bigger space, and I would never ask anyone walking through my front door to cut the cost of their meal.”
About 3.8% of Castle Rock’s population lives below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and 7,000 residents face food insecurity, Mary shares.
Diners don’t need to fill out a form or prove they qualify for a free meal. Sunday Salmon meals are “no strings, no costs — just good food, great people, and open hearts.”
“I am hell-bent on doing anything that I can to serve our neighbors,” Mary says.
About 10% of Sunday Salmon’s diners donate because they believe in the company’s mission, love the food, and enjoy communing with their neighbors, Mary says.
In less than a year, Sunday Salmon has expanded beyond its Castle Rock restaurant. It provides lunches to students and teachers at two schools and operates a mobile food trailer. It also launched a Wednesday Wheels program that delivers individually packaged meals to 210 people.
Unfortunately, Sunday Salmon’s restaurant is slated to be demolished to make way for a gas station. Although a timeline has not been announced, Mary says it’s nearing.
Mary says there is a shortage of available, rentable restaurant spaces in Castle Rock, and that building a new eatery takes time and a lot of money.
“We really need to zero in on what is next for us,” she shares, adding that she has backup plans in mind to keep Sunday Salmon up and running.
As Sunday Salmon continues to help Castle Rock residents in need and bring the community together, it’s also become a source of healing for Mary.
“I never reconnected with my former self until I opened this restaurant,” she says. “I ran from that life. I found a way to make money and be successful, and I never looked back. By opening this restaurant, I was able to reconnect with who I once was.”
Sidebar Title: Upcoming Sunday Salmon Events and Dinners
Sunday Salmon Dinner
When: Every Sunday at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Location: Sunday Salmon, 207 Wolfensberger Road, Suite 100, Castle Rock
Price: No cost. Donations welcome.
Please RSVP at www.sundaysalmon.com/reservations
Fall Fundraiser Dinner
When: Friday, November 6, starting at 5:45 p.m.
Location: Sunday Salmon, 207 Wolfensberger Road, Suite 100, Castle Rock
Price: $30
Please RSVP at donorbox.org/events/963779/steps/choose_tickets
Advance registration is recommended for all events. Limited walk-ins are welcome.
Future events can be found at www.sundaysalmon.com or on the nonprofit's social media pages.