One Meal at a Time, New Yorkers Connect
For over 40 years, a soup kitchen has been changing the lives of New Yorkers one meal at a time.
by Dameria Hutabarat-Charles, helpNYC Communications Associate
It was a Sunday morning in early October when I first visited Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen (HASK) in New York City. The Sunday Supper program, filled with neighbors, guests, and volunteers, made a comeback after being on hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Sunday Supper program allows people to enjoy balanced nutritious food in a warm and peaceful environment inside the Church of the Holy Apostles. For many, this occasion is more than just having supper, but it is also a great way to reconnect and enjoy conversations with people that build the community. Noah Pfefferblit, one of the guests who used to regularly attend the event mentioned that he came to the supper to have a nice change from his daily routines and to meet people in the neighborhood. “The food is also getting better, too!” he mentioned.
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen itself had a long history. It started as a temporary feeding program in 1982 that served 34 meals. Nowadays, the soup kitchen can feed nearly 1,000 hungry New Yorkers every weekday, many of those guests are currently experiencing homelessness. During the pandemic, HASK was able to serve up to 1,800 meals per day from Monday to Friday starting from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Guests can pick up bags consisting of warm meals and groceries without having to show any Identification and there will be no questions asked.
HASK understands one thing: Hunger does not take a day off therefore, they are doing their best to enable New Yorkers in need to have access to food even in challenging times. “Anyone who experiences food insecurity is welcomed to receive the food from HASK and they do not have to be homeless to qualify. If they are hungry, people can still get help. You can be working or having a job and still experience hunger,” said Jay Alfaro, Manager of Social Services & Partnerships. Jay also mentioned that there are people from the post office who help to pick up and deliver food for the ones who need it. Throughout history, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen had been showing its resilience and consistency. Looking back, even after experiencing a devastating fire in 1991, the blizzards, transit shutdowns, 9/11, and Hurricane Sandy, the soup kitchen did not stop serving and delivering food.
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen is built like a professional restaurant that consists of chef, sous chef, cook, and people who are responsible to handle inventories and different vendors that provide the food. In general, there will be 50 volunteers ready to serve and clean up the Soup Kitchen in a day. Volunteers come from various backgrounds and different walks of life. Here, you can find volunteers who are members of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), students who go to different schools, people from the neighborhood, and sometimes you can also spot some well-known persons or community leaders who are involved in a public affair.
According to Steve Fanto, the Manager of Volunteers and Community Outreach, who has been serving HASK for more than one decade, hundreds of volunteers had given their time to help others at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen. Some volunteers can come and help two or three times, but there are volunteers who have been volunteering for the soup kitchen for at least 30 years.
Based on research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States diets are high in added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats and fewer than 1 in 10 US adults and adolescents eat enough fruits and vegetables. HASK is aware of the issue and does its best to be an advocate for healthy eating. “In our kitchen, you can see the chart of the nutrition of today’s menu,” said Steve. “Some of the people and partners who provide food for us often come with questions and requirements to ensure that we are going to provide a balanced meal that consists of enough protein and vegetables, and we do have to comply to receive their support,” he added.
Hunger is just one of the issues that HASK tries to address. It started with food, and it extended to social services. When guests come and have a meal at the Soup Kitchen, they start conversations with each other. They are often curious and learn more about other programs that HASK offers. Within the vast community, guests are often exchanging beneficial information to help each other. One guest can talk about their food insecurity and get some information from other guests or referral from the Holy Apostles team on getting assistance for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Others get a voucher for a haircut, or a referral to get personal hygiene products and showers. Some guests are able to get shelter and housing assistance from several of HASK’s partners, for instance, Project Renewal and Picture the Homeless.
Jay, who oversees partnerships, is committed to asking how the guests are doing and conducting research to find the right support and referral for the guests in need. HASK does offer an auxiliary program that includes computer classes, enrichment programs, and a writer’s workshop. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, some people need to use the computer to sign into a program or a website or to make an appointment online and they can use the computer in the church library. Some people need medical screening and legal aid and HASK is working its best to accommodate the different needs of their guests. “We do not just send or refer them to our partners,” said Jay, “We also ask for their experience to ensure that they are getting the right reference, treatment, and counsel.”
Post-COVID-19, HASK wishes to open the door even wider for everyone. Please, bring your vaccination card and join the gathering to learn more about Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.
Dameria Hutabarat-Charles worked in marketing for tourism and lifestyle journalism. She has worked for various companies including Singapore Tourism Board and Cosmopolitan Indonesia. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with two concentrations: Database Marketing and E-Business & New Media from Pace University, New York, and a master’s degree in Communication Science from University of North Sumatra, North Sumatra. She lives in New York City and spends her time volunteering, being part of a Toastmasters Club, and taking certifications in social media, entrepreneurship, and English. She loves dogs, traveling, learning about history and culture, and doing sports. Her life goal is to live an impactful life.
You may contact Dameria at dameria@helpNYC.co or follow her on Instagram.
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If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please visit the helpNYC.info Resource Navigator’s Food Assistance section to get more information on where you can find help with food access.
