Breaking bread with the homeless of Manchester, NH
Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 2:29PM My route home from work often takes me past New Horizons for New Hampshire, where between 4:30 and 5:45 p.m., there is a near constant huddle of people lined up alongside the homeless shelter's Manchester Street building.
While those lined up above are waiting to access the shelter's food pantry, the line is similar to those often waiting for a free hot meal - 200 of which are typically served per day by New Horizons.
Seeing this need day after day, I have thought about trying to recruit some friends to volunteer at the shelter's soup kitchen, much like my Dad and I used to do at L.O.V.E.'s Kitchen in Meridian, Miss.
But after learning about Picture the Homeless, a homeless organizing and advocacy group in New York City, I'm rethinking my desire to merely serve food at New Horizons.
One of the ways the groups challenges the images, stigma and (mis)representation of the homeless is to invite folks to sit down and share a meal with the homeless - not just serve it to them - as a means of humanizing and individualizing our fellow human beings. As the group's slogan says, "Don't talk about us; talk with us."
Curious to know if New Horizons might offer opportunities for residents of Manchester, NH, to break bread with those dining in the local soup kitchen, I asked the shelter's program director, Kevin Kintner.
"Currently we don’t have volunteers directly interacting with patrons," he said. "New Horizons is going to begin a few steps toward more of that type of involvement in the new year – beginning with a family meal at the kitchen. Steps are important."
At present, only those 18 and older can eat at the soup kitchen. But of course there are homeless and hungry children in Manchester, NH, too. Kintner said the kitchen will have to work out some logistics, but hopes to start a family meal time as soon as possible in 2010.
With regard to allowing the general public to break bread with the local homeless population and learn their stories, Kintner said it is an idea that intrigues him, though it's not as easy as just opening the doors to one and all.
"There are many factors that we have to prepare for – sex offenders with children present; client confidentiality; volunteer training to the understanding that they’re 'friendly, not friends,' and that they are not to give or receiving things from clients; and a big one for many volunteers," he said, "is 'no proselytizing.'"
Reader Comments (3)
I really enjoy reading your blog, Will, and I think you have some great ideas. This is one of them.
Another great idea! I only wish there were more hours in the day to get some of these ideas implemented.
Interesting...
The "Family meal" would be a tough one... mainly because of sex offenders... would need a separate building for starters.
The eating 'with' the homeless would not only teach others that they are actual people (with problems) but by having a conversation with 'one' would keep them within our world.... as I see many walking down the streets talking to themselves and spaced out in their own little world... as if me, walking by--doesn't even exist. (mainly speaking of the one woman who does crosswords on the sidewalk and lines up her cigarette stubs she finds in a neat order... she never asks for a thing!)
To make this work you would need a new building and different food... to a homeless person with nothing than a (excuse my words) handout then any food is good... attracting homeless to food is easy... but to attract the 'not so homeless' is tough... but if you can attract I bet this would get some of them jobs... donations even.
Take Karen (Krazy Karen) who once had a good life and was on top of things... something happened in her life and she snapped off the mainstream line. But when I knew she had a good life (better than my own even) and her current "actions" were not under her total control--my feelings changed...