With the frigid temperatures and blustery wind, one of our volunteers said “my hands are freezing but my heart is warm” as we served hundreds of guests hot meals and sandwiches during last night’s soup run. There was a long line of hungry souls waiting for us as we arrived at the spot in New York City and they patiently waited while we set up tables with food and clothing.
After serving those outside, two groups of volunteers went into Penn Station and to the drop-in center. In each location, we found many who gladly accepted our food and other items. Gloves and underwear were the most requested items. We also distributed numerous coats and blankets.
We often see sparks of kindness among our guests. Last night, one man reached into his backpack and gave two shirts that we had given to him to another man whom he felt was in greater need. Toward the end of the evening, we gave our friend Judy a super warm coat, for which she was very grateful. Keith was happy to finally have a pair of shoes that he has been requesting for the last two months. He repeatedly thanked us and then helped pack the tables and bins in our cars. We also remark at how joyful some individuals seem to be, no matter what their circumstances. Stewart is one of them – always greeting us with a smile and engaging in a nice conversation.
Thank you to the donors, supporters and volunteers of the Soup Run. We could not feed and clothe so many every month without the kindness and generosity of our extended community. This month we express gratitude to our supporters from across Westchester County, Connecticut, Queens and New York City:
- Helen Hiotakis and Sappho Papaioannou for their sponsorship
- Manny Louros and Zachary Karounos for preparing sandwiches; Basil Apostle and Kelly Sisco for packing
- Sandwiches – Philoptochos from Prophet Elias (Yonkers) and Kathryn Papataros
- John & Eirinni Copulos for hundreds of fleece gloves and socks
- Deborah Farone for toiletries
- Minos Samoladas for his generous donation which enabled us to purchase clothing
- NYPD for their presence and support
- Melina Morris and Bombas (https://bombas.com/) for socks and T-shirts
- May Vlachos (St. George NYC) for clothing and the Mental Health Clinic guide, including upcoming Soup Run dates
- Constance Mavrovitis and Cynthia Herzegovitch for organizing the clothing
- Georgeann Mavrovitis and Loredana Soravito Curtis for preparing the toiletry kits
As we enter the Lenten season, we are particularly reminded to serve the less fortunate: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat….”, Matthew 25. Please join us next month on March 26th.