Community rallies around ‘Our Father's Kitchen'

People showing they really want to do the right thing, By Nancy Kriz MONROE — The cooking area in the basement of Sacred Heart Chapel in Monroe looked like any other kitchen undergoing a major renovation. There was a bit of a mess, and work was in various stages of construction. A commercial dishwasher sat waiting for its eventual installation near the dining area. Despite the inconvenience, volunteers work around all that activity to prepare meals. There are big changes happening at “Our Father’s Soup Kitchen,” the area’s first location created to serve hot meals to anyone coping with financial challenges and in need of a freshly-prepared meal. In the seven weeks since the kitchen served its first meals to about 40 people, organizers have been overwhelmed with community support. “We’re overwhelmed,” said Jonelle Rizzi of Monroe, who coordinates soup kitchen operations with Betsy Johnson of Chester. “We’re overwhelmed in terms of the numbers of people willing to volunteer. We will use everyone. (And) we’re overwhelmed with the generosity of people. When it comes in such quantity like it has, it’s really wonderful.” When the soup kitchen first opened, Rizzi gave The Photo News a wish list of items she and Johnson hoped to acquire. Reading that story were members of Congregation B’nai Torah in Greenwood Lake. The congregation, which had received much community support and assistance when a 2004 fire destroyed its building, wanted to lend its support by donating two sets of dinnerware, each with service for over 100 people; silverware, baking sheets; a baker’s rack; and a sink with an attached drain board. “Estelle Cohen, our financial secretary, saw the story and we talked about it,” said Monroe resident Gary Birnberg, the congregation’s “gabbi,” or assistant to the rabbi. “After our 2004 fire, churches and synagogues were a great help. The ambulance corps even let us use their building. There was a synagogue in Queens which was merging with another, they heard our story and gave us most of their things.” The amount of insurance money from the fire required the congregation to build a smaller building, Birnberg said, which meant a smaller kitchen. Most of the kitchen items given to the group by the Queens synagogue were put into storage. “With all the kitchen stuff we had and what the soup kitchen needed, it was a perfect match,” said Birnberg. “It was like somebody meant for this to happen. We were finally putting it to good use. It’s obviously going to a good cause. It’s a wonderful feeling.” A commercial-grade dishwasher was also donated to the soup kitchen as a result of seeing the wish list in The Photo News, courtesy of St. Patrick’s Church in Highland Mills. The church no longer had a need for it. “One of my parishioners saw that wish list and suggested that it be given to the soup kitchen,” said The Rev. Gerard P. Travers, church pastor. “We’re behind them, whatever we can do. We, at St. Pat, think this is the right direction and we want to be involved.” Cash contributions are coming in, too, like the recent $1,400 check from Division 1 Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Division 5 Ladies AOH. “Our group’s motto is ‘Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity,’” said Ladies AOH President Gail Edmonds, a Monroe resident, noting the group donated the proceeds from its “Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day” dance. “We wanted to do something that the ladies could recognize and adopt as our own charity. With the economy the way it is, people need help more than ever. We are very happy to help, but we’d be very happy if no one needed to use the soup kitchen.” Johnson, who co-chairs the Sacred Heart Parish Outreach program with Rizzi, felt the outpouring of support was due to the kindness of people. “People need a focus other than their own issues,” said Johnson. “This is real life. They see the need, and when they see it, it multiplies.” Johnson cited the recent $500 check from Frontier Communications, and help from people like Monroe resident Don Beeler, who donated his time in the design, demolition and construction process; Village of Monroe building inspector Jay Wilkins; and Blooming Hill Farm owner Guy Jones, who now donates organic produce from his farm on Route 208 in Blooming Grove, as examples of people who want to help. Rizzi also said that Bagel Boys donates all its unsold rolls and bagels every time the soup kitchen serves a meal. Mountain View Bagel and Deli and Giovanni’s Bakery have also started donating, and she welcomes involvement from any business who wants to be a part of the effort. In addition to the Sacred Heart CCD students, Rizzi and Johnson are getting inquiries from Scout troops. For example, one older Girl Scout troop is already working with the soup kitchen for its Gold Award project, while a first grade Daisy troop is supplying all the canned cranberries and making some place mats for its forthcoming Thanksgiving dinner. Johnson is very grateful to the Monroe Stop ‘n’ Shop and store manager Andy Abramowitz for naming the soup kitchen as its “Food for Friends” partner. “I would come in with my last minute needs (for that day’s dinner), and he (Abramowitz) walks around the store and he fills my cart and doesn’t charge me,” she said. “It’s like a snowball, getting bigger and bigger. People want to help.” While soup kitchens evolved during the Great Depression to help the hungry poor, Johnson wants to eliminate the stigma associated with that name. She wants people to view the kitchen as “a place for nutritious meals, socialize and learn what’s available to them in the community.” Both women want people to know their donations are being put to good use. “People are showing up,” said Johnson. “For example, there are two Polish- speaking men who have come regularly. One time they left and returned with an older woman, telling us in their broken English, ‘She’s hungry.’ We’ve even prepared take-out for people who don’t have any transportation, and we’ll even provide transportation for those who want to come here.” Rizzi and Johnson are also looking to expand the availability of meals to three times a week - two evenings and a Saturday. “We want to expand and be a lightning rod for people to come and be connected with other services in the community,” said Rizzi. “We are completely dependent on donations to make that happen. But, people we have never met before have come out of the blue. It tells me how really wonderful people are here.”

COMING SOON
An outgrowth of “Our Father’s Kitchen” is the soon-to-open “Our Mother’s Cupboard,” based at the kitchen. It will provide items for babies and toddlers, including: formula, diapers, wipes and related items. Needy mothers can stop by and receive a bag of these items.
Soup kitchen organizers hope to open “Our Mother’s Cupboard” in December but need to start stocking shelves now. If you have items to donate, call Sacred Heart Church at 782-8510..

CAN YOU HELP?
One of the immediate needs the soup kitchen has is to find a way to purchase --- or have donated --- 600 sq. ft. of ceramic or porcelain tile for the kitchen floor, including sub-flooring materials.
“Lowes has offered us a 10 percent discount, but it’s still quite expensive,” said Betsy Johnson.
If you can help or have suggestions, call Johnson at 496-1906.