By: christine c smith

christine c smith — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:41:01 +0000

I think theere is a lot of interest in trying to set something up for a shelter. About l981 r 82 we set up one at Holy Trinity Church in Yc, where quite a few of us volunteered I think it was once a month or every three weeks to stay over in a slightly separated rom in the basement rec area. We put out a simple hot meal that someone prepared, the city bussed in the usual carefully screened 12 “guests” as they were called around 5pm, from the Moravian coffee pot, a services small center on Lexington about 30th St. where they gathered, some spending their days there when it was cold. We all got up at the horrible hour of 5:30am, then we two volunteers fed them breakfast, they put their linens and towels in a big bin for the city to wash, the men helped the women fold the cots and stack them, and they got ready to go and meet the city services bus, which picked them up about 6-6:15am. Also we had the janitors bucket and mop to swob the mens and womens bathrooms, a pretty unpleasant job. We the two volunteers had to make sure all was in order— for the later nursery school to come in. Otherwise it was very satisfying. We the two volunteers then went home, showered, and went happily into one own bed for an hour or more! To my amazement I really enjoyed it, and we had some really nice conversations with some of the more articulate or educated homeless during the supper time, and briefly afterward before they set up their beds, lights were turned low and they, and we, all went to sleep by 8:30 or 9pm. I never experienced any incidents when I was volunteering. This is an idea, an outline of what is possible, and out here,probably more informal, and hopefully with some evening TV time, and later wake up time, and definitely someone paid to clean the bathrooms. I do not feel the volunteers should have to do thta. I also felt the responsible homeless should with washed hands help with the meals and their cleanup. It makes them feel more useful and part of normal life and helping. Others did not agree, unfortunately.
As far as the soup kitchen, yes, a catering firm with help from us as volunteers, (I love to cook awhile, not too long or I get exhausted) seems to make sense, and perhaps it could be next door at Mc Donalds in Southampton. Frankly I am shocked the town of Southampton shut it down, instead of trying to quickly pass a temporary change of use law.

By: compassion

compassion — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:24:58 +0000

Wow, the Southampton building inspector closes a soup kitchen because it wasn’t zoned properly? Someone in Sag Harbor had better immediately alert the village trustees and Save Sag Harbor to stay as vigilant as ever.

Comments on: Local Churches Poised to Provide Havens to Homeless

By: christine c smith

By: compassion