Last Night’s Soup Run
by Despina Kartson
Happy New Year! We are thankful for the blessings that enabled us to begin 2018 serving the hungry and homeless again during Last Night's Soup Run. The 20 degree temperature forced many of our guests to stay indoors in the train stations and the set-up for Sunday’s Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden prevented us from serving at our usual spot. Instead, we relocated to our alternative location a block away where we served many of our meals. We also made several trips into Penn Station and distributed hot chili, rice and vegetables along with fleece blankets and hand knit scarves. And we sent Christian Glaser home on the subway with a box of 15 meals to distribute along the way. By the time he boarded the train, he had give out all the meals.
We talked with men and women who were cold and hungry and extremely grateful for what we gave them. They thanked us, blessed us and hugged us. How many of us walk past individuals just like them every day and would never think that they’d reach out for a hug? We connected with Keith who said he feels so much better after he talks with us. He said he feels as if the devil is on his shoulder always tempting him and we suggested that an angel is on his other shoulder guiding and protecting him. He brightened up and said he’d never thought about life that way. When we asked a man later in the evening how he liked the dinner we gave him, he said we “made his night”.
Thank you to the volunteers, supporters and sponsors of the Soup Run who include Deb van Der Heyden and the Yotides family in memory of their father Tommy Yotides. Special thanks, as always, to Manny Louros for cooking, Minos Samoladas for his donation which enabled us to purchase clothing for our men and women guests, Ana and Constantine Dimas for their donation of new coats, socks and t-shirts, Georgeann Mavrovitis for her diligence in preparing hundreds of toiletry kits, Cynthia Herzegovitch and Constance Mavrovitis for their sorting efforts, Alexandra King for knitting 25 scarves, and Andre Herzegovitch for the smoothie packs we gave to our guests to take with them for additional sustenance. Thank you to Manny’s neighbor, Mary Ellen Barbieri, who gave us 40 bags of sandwiches, chips and water that were decorated by children at the Scarsdale Community Baptist Church and packed by her Girl Scout troop! We could not provide warm food and clothing every month for the 125 needy souls without the support of the entire Holy Trinity Community, and beyond, and for that, we - and our guests - are immensely grateful.
We received the following note wishing us a Happy New Year: "Happy New Year 2018 to the ladies and men who help to make this world a better place and who is always given to those who need. May God bless you all for the good work you do. Thank you. Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous New Year. Have a bless, safe and wonderful day. With love."
Please join us on Thursday, February 22.
