Beyond a Meal

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

There is no single word that could possibly describe how absolutely amazingly phenomenal the Bread and Life (B&L) organization is (www.BreadandLife.org).

On Thursday, September 17th I was honored with an invitation to an event being held by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce at the Brooklyn hub of Bread and Life. Our awesome lead contact there, Al, had mentioned providing us with a tour of the facility. I simply imagined a soup kitchen similar to the ones I’ve attended in Midtown and Lenox Hill. The places are nice and always very clean but only serve one purpose….serving meals to the homeless and working poor. Once the meals are served these individuals and families are sent back out into the streets to figure out what their next move will be and where their next meal will come from. Most just hop around from location to location trying to get another meal, especially in the cold in which they try to find warmth.

To my total amazement, I set foot into a place that looked nothing like a soup kitchen I ever been to. This looked like an event venue. The architecture was pretty impressive. Including, the beam from the original train station that used to run through it many moons ago. I was introduced to a few people and was escorted to the dining area. Wow! Beautiful layout, tables and chairs. As I listened to the speeches I looked around wondering where it is this organization feeds the homeless and working poor.

Once we were done, I was taken on a tour of the facility. Can you believe this place includes:

- Library
- Computer room
- Medical facility
- Counseling
- Mobile Kitchens
- Training room
- Chapel (non-denomination)
- Social services
- Financial services
- Cooking classes
- Phone accessibility for FREE phone calls
- Showers

All this is for the homeless and working poor. To top things off, the meeting room we were originally in is where they serve hot meals to the homeless and working poor :-O.

This organization believes in enabling their guests with not just hope but opportunity to do something with their lives.

- If someone doesn’t have an id, it is as simple as filling in an application which B&L submits to the necessary NYC Departments to get an id. The Project Identity group provides people with any and all vital records.

- They have a point system for you to get groceries to make your own meals at home. All those requiring assistance are provided with a swipe card that allows them to get hot meals and make the necessary purchases. Points are assigned based on family size. The groceries points are based on how healthy an item is and availability of an item. An average bag purchased consists of about 18 items. A can of tuna could be 5 points but on days in which tuna is scarce the points could increase to 10 – 15. One is able to get any ingredients they prefer on the digital pantry system which shows pictures of all available items. Emergency packages are pre-packed for anyone coming off the street unable to provide identity cards and register as a member. Cooking classes are offered at the facility to show families how to make healthy meals with the ingredients they’ve selected.

- Social/Financial services acquire all entitlements for those in need. If someone doesn’t have food stamps or Medicaid, they guide them through the process. If someone does have these benefits, B&L ensures they’re getting the correct amount assigned.

- Phone calls are permitted primarily to assist in getting those in need the necessary information and guidance to complete required processes/documentation

- Mobile Kitchen ~ servicing Jackson Heights day laborers, Coney Island, East New York, Williamsburg and Greensville. This mobile bus makes rounds providing hot food to those in need while also providing counseling inside the bus.

INCREDIBLE!

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