,

Last Night's Soup Run - Oct 2017

,

by Despina Kartson

"I was waiting all month for your hot chocolate," said one of our guests during last night's soup run. Our hot chocolate with whipped cream, delicious meals and warm conversations are offered to our guests on the streets of Manhattan every month and last night we were blessed to feed 125 individuals. The hungry and homeless were waiting for us and we couldn't unpack quickly enough. Some helped us unpack and set up our tables, others helped maintain order.

We met Rick who sticks together with a small group of other homeless men who look out for each other on the streets. He told us they respect the police because the police respect them, understanding their situation and allowing them to sleep overnight on the subway. Sal, who emigrated to the US from Morocco, calls the subway his home. Three years ago he lost everything and after two weeks staying in a shelter, decided to live on the streets where he feels safer. He also talked about the disrespectful way in which shelter staff treat the homeless, saying "they think we were always homeless and that we are bums but they have no idea". Listening to Sal and Rick, we are reminded that whether it is a police officer, shelter worker or any one of us, treating the homeless with dignity and respect is one of the simple things they crave.

Another man told us how he manages to have a cup of tea every day. Buying his own tea bags, he gets a cup of hot water from Starbucks and saves the cup. When people ask him why he spent money on Starbucks, he is proud to explain his frugal approach to enjoying his simple pleasure - a cup of hot tea.

Robert has become one of our "regulars" over the last year. We have mixed feelings about seeing some of the same guests every month - we are happy to feed them one more time but we are concerned about their chronic homelessness and their mental and physical health. Robert is not in good shape at all. He has open wounds, won't allow us to give him a shirt and walks the streets wearing tattered and torn pants and remnants of a shirt. But he did let Fr. Patrick buy him a foldable wagon for his few possessions after he complained about his plastic bags falling apart. With all of his issues, Robert seeks us out every month and talks with Fr. Patrick and others. We are making small connections - he needs our prayers.

Thank you to all who are a part of our monthly outreach to the homeless including Manny, Zachary and Kelly for preparing the food, our anonymous sponsor of last night's soup run, and the many volunteers and supporters from the Philoptochos and Holy Trinity community. We are in need of warm clothing - sweat shirts, jackets, pants and socks. Please donate what you can of your time, talent and treasures. Join us on November 30th.

22730399_1871735966475496_8652106485076055265_n.jpg
,

Soup Run - July 2017

,

A large group was lined up and waiting for us at last night's soup run in Manhattan. We couldn't get to our usual spot because of an event at Madison Square Garden preventing access to the street so we relocated to our alternative spot a block away. The word was already out and by the time we arrived, our guests were waiting patiently. Some helped us set up tables and serve. Two tourists from North Carolina saw what we were doing and helped distribute socks. We served 125 sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, coffee and water with - - received with much appreciation.

We gave the special request items to those who had asked for sneakers and clothes and they were overwhelmed with gratitude. I saw more hugs between our volunteers and guests last night than ever before. 

At one point, we were reminded of the decency of those we serve and how they expect (and deserve) to be treated. We were taking a photo of a group talking with one of our volunteers, careful not to photograph their faces for privacy reasons. One of the homeless men stepped aside and quietly suggested that the next time we take pictures, we not take them of any of their faces. We showed him the photo that did not capture any faces, other than those of our own group, and assured him that we are always respectful of their privacy. The calmness and consideration he displayed during this exchange was a lesson, on several levels, for all.

Survival is what the homeless do on the streets of NY. They find ways to keep things together - whether it's creatively securing the belt they are wearing by inserting a pen through holes (Fr. Patrick bought the man a new belt!), or carrying around a folder of important personal papers including a social security card, or asking for extra granola bars and sandwiches for a meal the next day. We met the working homeless as well. One man, who delivers packages for Amazon, is happy to have a full time job but does not yet have enough money to open a checking account in order to rent an apartment so he sleeps on a friend's couch while he saves money. 

Thank you to all who gave of their time, talent and treasures yesterday as the sandwiches were prepared by Manny, Zachary, Kelly, Voula, Despina and her sons. Our loyal group of cheerful volunteers distributed toiletries, socks, men's and women's underwear, pants, shorts, shoes and flip flops - all donated or made possible through the monetary donations of individuals including Minos Samoladas. Thank you to Harry Wilson and family for sponsoring last night's soup run. Please join us on the last Thursday of the month - August 31 - when our guests will be expecting us. Share this with your friends #lastnightssouprun.

Soup Run - June 29

Last Night's Soup Run
by Despina Kartson

Our caravan of 5 cars and 17 volunteers left Holy Trinity last night and served more than 100 meals to our guests on 33rd Street in Manhattan during last night's soup run. We took 10 bins of new socks, underwear and clothing, which were distributed in record time, to the large crowd that was lined up and waiting for us when we arrived. We also provided whistles and toiletries, all received with much appreciation. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we packed a trunk full of kitchen items and drove the recipient to their new apartment. They were grateful and amazed with all they were given.

We happily reconnected with Judy, whom we haven't seen in a number of months. She and Richie have been dealing with significant health issues, spending much of the last year in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. Judy hopes that the worst is behind them and we will keep them, along with all we serve, in our prayers.

There were lots of people we met who were happy to see us on our regularly scheduled visit to receive our dinners - pasta with meat sauce and vegetables - and others who stopped by to talk about what we do and offer their support. We will be following up with one gentleman who has items he'd like to donate to us for the next soup run. And Louie, who leads a volunteer homeless outreach program in Manhattan, visited with us and helped organize our guests as we were in transit.

A special thank you to Ana Dimas for sponsoring last night's soup run and for her donation of the very useful Amazon food bags we now use to transport our meals. Thanks to Manny Louros for cooking, Cynthia Herzegovitch and Constance Mavrovitis for sorting and organizing the clothing donations and the large group of volunteers who spent their evening with our friends on 33rd Street. Please join us on Thursday, July 27th.

Soup Run Update - April 27

by Despina Kartson

We arrived at 33rd Street to music and celebratory NY Rangers fans enjoying themselves outside of Madison Square Garden. And just down the street stood our faithful guests, lined up, waiting for our meals and clothing for last night's soup run. A couple of men immediately helped us unload our cars and set up.

More than 120 meals of chicken, rice and vegetables were served and we could have given out more. We distributed numerous clothing items - socks and underwear being the most requested. Mario asked us if we had size 12 sneakers and we promised to bring a pair next month. A woman told us she was exhausted, took her shoes off briefly while she slept at a shelter and woke to find that her shoes had been stolen. She was relieved to find a pair of flip flops to wear and said, without any signs of animosity, that the person who took her shoes must have needed them more than she did. Another woman asked for extra underwear for her 17 year old twin daughters in the shelter. When asked about their safety and their situation, she said that her 19 year old daughter and 27 year old son also live in the shelter because they cannot afford housing and they look out for each other.

At one point in the evening, a few people were gathered around one of our volunteers in what appeared to be an intense conversation. When another volunteer asked if everything was OK, and it was, one of the guests said "You don't need to worry, we will take care of you. We know you are good people and we won't let anything happen to you."

Many extraordinary events and experiences touch us during our monthly soup runs and we always know that the hand of God is providing, often when we least expect it. At the end of the evening when we had distributed every item we thought we had brought with us, we were talking with Claudette. She asked if we had a suit for her grown son who needed a suit to attend a wedding. Just as we were about to tell Claudette that we were completely out of clothing, we recalled that we inadvertently took from the basement a very nice suit jacket and pair of slacks. We didn't plan to take it to 33rd Street but we did and it was hanging in one of our cars. We gave it to Claudette who could not have been more appreciative and truly delighted to have found a suit for her son.

Thank you to the wonderful volunteers from the Holy Trinity community, Manny Louros for the delicious meal, Demetra Ventresca for sponsoring the soup run, Eirini Metaxas for the icons and Minos Samoladas for his generous donation.

A few of our guests said they heard last night was our final night and that we would not be there over the summer. We told them we are faithful to them and will provide food and clothing during the summer and all year long - we don't take the summer off because there is no time off for those who are hungry. Please join us on May 25.

Cooking For Hope Update

During the Lenten season, God asks us to give a little more of ourselves.  

Our last session was Thursday, April 6. Our numbers were few due to inclement weather, however we were still able to accomplish the task at hand!  Sign up now to join us for our next session on Thursday, May 11 at 6:00pm.

Soup Run Update - March 31

By Despina Kartson

During last night's soup run in Manhattan, the rain stopped, a coach bus moved out of the way and made room for us, the NYPD stood by and said they'd be there if we needed them - people working together to feed our guests on the street. We arrived next to Madison Square Garden where a large crowd was waiting for us. We could hardly set up shop fast enough before we were giving out meals of homemade macaroni & cheese, vegetables and peach cobbler - all still warm and delicious. Hundreds of socks, underwear, hoodies, jackets and toiletry kits were distributed within an hour. More than 100 meals were offered and just as we served the last one, a few more hungry souls arrived and all we could offer was a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. There never seems to be enough for the homeless in New York City.

As always, our guests were thankful for what we provided - food, compassion, laughs and respect. A gentleman took our meal, walked away to eat it, returned for coffee and said he was going to sit at a nearby table and drink it imagining he was in Paris! One of our volunteers was talking with an elderly woman who takes the A train from Far Rockaway to Manhattan for food and clothing. She lives on a fixed income and doesn't have enough money to pay rent and buy food so she does the best she can through the kindness of strangers. Her fingers were swollen, stiff and in pain due to a medical problem so one of our volunteers took off her own gloves and helped put them on the woman. When the woman saw that the gloves had a few sparkles on them, she smiled and said they were nice enough for her to wear them to church! 
A young man, wearing only pants and a light jacket, was happy to be given a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt. He put them on right in front of us and said even though the size was a bit small, anything warm was better than nothing. Toward the end of the evening, a man brought back a jacket we had given him earlier. He said it didn't fit him so he was returning it so that someone else could wear it. Within a minute, we found that someone else.

We always find that someone else, the one more person who is in need and we offer them all that we have. We went home with empty bins last night - as we should - all items given away. Through the generosity of our Holy Trinity parish community, the Philoptochos, this month's sponsor Kathy Tzortzidis, Minos Samoladas, Manny Louros' great cooking and the many volunteers who offer their time and talents, we try to make a difference once a month to the hungry and homeless. Please help us continue to make a difference and join us next month on April 27th. Donations of socks and new men's and women's underwear are always welcome.

Soup Run Update - February 26

By Despina Kartson

"We don't have a place to sleep tonight but you put a smile on my face because you gave me a good meal." This is one of the comments we heard Thursday night as we served 115 meals to our guests on 33rd Street in Manhattan during our "soup run". Our food provides a bit of sustenance, our conversations provide a bit of compassion and comfort.

The balmy weather brought out many of our regular guests and many others who were in need. We served in our usual spot and also walked around the block looking for additional hungry souls as we were not able to go into Penn Station. It's a humbling and sweet experience to walk up to a lonely, destitute person sitting on the sidewalk or in a wheelchair and offer them a meal and a cup of coffee. They smile, thank us and seem quite surprised by the gesture. We talked with Leslie who asked, "What's the remedy for a broken heart"? We were happy to see Charmaine again but concerned that she was not doing well and seemed to have taken a step backward. Telling her that God may be disappointed with her but would always love her seemed to be a bit of a sobering comment. A woman we approached on the street who looked to be in need said she lost her home after she became a victim of identity theft. A group sitting in an area off 33rd Street accepted our food and we were happy to give an extra meal to the pregnant wife of one of the men. Pregnant and homeless - can you imagine?

The variety of individuals we meet with stories that touch and surprise never seem to end. A Spanish-speaking freelance set designer is homeless because he hasn't worked in a while and can't afford a home. As we spoke with him, in our limited Spanish and with a friend interpreting, he kept looking at us in amazement as he never expected to be offered a warm meal and a warm conversation on the street. He said, "I am a Christian but sometimes I lose my faith". The wooden cross that Fr. Patrick asked us to give to someone who needed it found it's home with this quiet and gentle man. We left him saying Vaya con Dios, knowing that the cross would give him strength.

As we reflect on the monthly experience of our soup run, we continue to be humbled by the dignity of those we have come to know. Our friend Luther, who is finally living in an apartment, insisted on giving us $20 because we provided him with some household items and drove him to his apartment with a trunk full of goods. We tried to refuse the donation but he wouldn't let us. So the $20 will be used to purchase additional items for our next soup run!

In addition to the meal of chili, rice, granola bars and oranges, we distributed numerous toiletry kits, socks, underwear and men's and women's clothing. The Philoptochos homeless outreach mission is made possible through the amazingly generous donations and contributions of our New Rochelle parish community. Monthly soup run sponsorships, including this month which was sponsored by David Kerwick and Despina Hatziergati, clothing donations, special donations by Minos Samoladas, and the sharing of time and talents by our many volunteers provide the ongoing ability to serve the overwhelming number of hungry and homeless in New York. Your contributions and participation are always welcome. Please join us on Thursday, March 30th.