Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.

Homeless Shelter To Serve Dinner and Goodwill on Thanksgiving
-------------------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=FE4D60:3919ACA Caring
volunteers prepare to welcome Manhattan's homeless with a first class
Thanksgiving feast Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States,
a time when American families gather in their homes to recount their
blessings and eat… and eat and eat - especially the traditional meal
of turkey and pumpkin pie. But for those without a home or family,
Thanksgiving can be a lonely time.







Lunch time at the shelter Fortunately, in most American communities,
there are places where those on the outside can come on in for some
home-cooked food and a sense of belonging, served up warm by caring
volunteers.

It is noon at the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter on Manhattan's
Upper East Side. That means there's a hot lunch ready for the 75 or so
homeless people who come here every day for some nourishment and a
friendly smile. But there will be double the number of diners - or
clients - here on Thanksgiving… and, says shelter program director
Patricia Cobb-Richardson, double the excitement.









Director Patricia Cobb-Richardson and her assistant Sonia Washington
welcome diners"It's a very exciting day because we get many volunteers
from the community who want to take this day, this opportunity, to
give back," she says, "and the clients are very excited because their
bellies are full of very delicious traditional turkey meals." Ms.
Cobb-Richardson adds that shelter clients are also emotionally
enriched by the experience "because there are many volunteers who come
from the community and not only serve them food but serve them good
will. And I think it is good will that lasts beyond the meal."

Ms. Cobb Richardson observes that the good will runs both ways - that
the volunteers "get as good as they give."



"I think they come with their hearts open and they are eager to be
around a community of people who may be poor but certainly are not
poor in heart. And they haven't had this exchange between another
human being who has less than they do -- certainly not a home as they
do. And they feel grateful. The clients also feel grateful, she says,
because they are treated as human beings with dignity and respect. So
it's a very rich day for all of us."







Chef Lenny Stringer and volunteer, Trevor,  ready to serveThe
Thanksgiving feast itself will certainly be rich enough. It's being
prepared by staff chef Lenny Stringer. He once worked in New York's
finest restaurants, but decided to devote his talents to feeding the
homeless. He offers a foretaste of Thursday's menu while stirring some
soup.

"We've got turkey going, traditional turkey. We're doing a cornbread
stuffing, which is sort of a southern thing. We're doing ham with a
praline sauce. We're dong string beans with almonds… mashed potatoes
etc, candied yams, salad…."

For Darius Demosthenes, 26, who has been living at this facility for
six weeks, it is actually the promised macaroni and cheese that will
help him most feel at home this Thanksgiving. But that's not all.







Homeless Clients Thakoor and James"… When you combine that in an
intimate atmosphere… that is accepting and understanding of our
situation and you set it up on a holiday like that, it becomes even
more of a good feeling," he says. "I know that I am sitting at this
table on this day, I may not have any family, I may be homeless, but I
know that these people are feeding me. They love me as a human being
and they care about my well-being."

Mr. Demosthenes adds that Thanksgiving is "a good time to reconnect
with the people you love and friends and caretakers and hospitable
individuals that you come across, and be really thankful to be alive."

Chef Lenny Stringer says that for him, being truly alive means giving
his best to others.







Receiving a hot meal at the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter in
Upper Manhattan"You give anyone your best," he says. That's what my
parents taught us. "In settings like this you can use your food
knowledge and cook great food for people who may not be doing as well
as you are doing. That's what it's all about. Just work hard and
everything just kind of works out for itself."

Mr. Stringer says that anyone can become homeless. "You could just
have a breakup with your wife. Maybe you've got a gambling problem.
Maybe you've got a bastard of a landlord who just decides he doesn't
want you in his building anymore. I look at it as we are all kind of
helping each other."

That's a sentiment all Americans can share -- and be grateful for --
this Thanksgiving Day.


.