There is no mightier way to sum up our service at SOME in 2019 then to share the handwritten card we received at our November feed from perennial visitor and gifted pianist, Jenny Yang.
Jenny has been one of our friends at SOME for several years. She always welcomes us in hugs, with recognition and appreciation. If there was any one guest who has shown us love, it is Jenny. These are the relationships that drive us to return to O street in Washington, D.C. time after time to serve. Jenny writes:
Dear Sisters and brothers in Christ at Trinity Church:
Another Christmas is on horizon. I want to thank God for all the love, grace and kindness through your congregation. Seeing you here at S.O.M.E. each time makes me feel the love of our Lord Jesus through your generosity, sincere and warm smile, and greeting. There is such a divine beauty in the family of Christian faith. May God continue to bless you all and the families and His Almighty hand be upon your members.
Love in Christ,
Jenny Young
As we close our 32nd year of this ministry, we pause at a crossroads. Despite the love we feel from patrons like Jenny, we occasionally struggle with detractors who may misunderstand our mission.
With rising food prices, we were economically challenged to keep to our budget. (But we managed with a little over $17.00 to spare). With subliminal criticism of our efforts and an expressed igno-rance that Trinity church should stick to the Fauquier environs to meet the needs of the poor and hungry, we ended the year a bit bruised. (But we looked directly in the eyes of the 300 people we fed, many of whom lack a roof over their heads or a guarantee of their next meal and endured to move forward). With inconsistent support for our pleas for brownies and baked goods, we explored alternatives with mixed results. (We found delicious brownie and cornbread products at wholesale cost). With no available freezer space in the Cox Hall kitchen, we shuttled heavy boxes of goods amongst home kitchens. (But we relegated an old freezer to the other side of our church campus and created storage).
The bottom line is we carried on. And we grew stronger, largely thanks to a steady group of regulars who make this program work and a willing consortium of parishioners who answer the call when Ann MacLeod sounds the rallying cry for support. And then there are those who just step up every single time without an ask. Service to SOME is natural for them. It is all about the fellowship we create in giving.
For their November service, we would like to recognize the following in no particular order:
Ken Knapp, navigation and expert fish preparation, Len Shapiro, navigation and green bean purveyor, Bob Appenzeller, jack of all trades, Carol Miller, beacon of light, Maggie New, dessert specialist, Jim Gemmer, perhaps the ablest, most purposeful pan scrubber on the planet, Josefina Hooker, our energizer bunny, and Ann MacLeod, without whom this program would not have continued all these years. Robin Keys filled in where necessary and was afforded the opportunity to roam the dining hall and talk with the guests, one of the most rewarding experiences in our DC journey.
In the Cox Hall kitchen, we had one of the most extraordinary crews ever assembled. Among our cooks were: Ann MacLeod; Kelly Johnson; Ellen Hall; Carol Miller; Stephanie Knapp; John O’Donnell; Jolly DeGive; Sandra Markus; Barbara Augenblick; Gloria Armfield; Robin Keys and Pat Reilly.
Ellen Hall deserves special recognition. We landed at SOME with two large sealed boxes that Ellen had prepared. Inside were cartons and cartons of cookies and snacks as well as individually sealed bags of assorted candy. The guests were over the moon to walk out with a little treat for later. Ellen has stepped up to the plate and filled a need – the cold, lonely hours between lunch and breakfast when hunger strikes for the food insecure.
Another cog in the giant wheel that is the SOME Outreach mission is the inspirational Tommy Breeden. While on well-deserved vacation, Tommy came in early Friday and loaded our van. He had made a point of dropping in as the cooking process was winding down the day before just to chat and personally assure that he would be back the next morning.
Our ally Betsy Crenshaw has somehow managed in the midst of food inflation, to steady our milk prices with our DC wholesaler at the same amount for years. Betsy does not have to be reminded to order the milk. It is a task that she performs month after month without hesitation. Betsy is our angel on earth for this program.
Coretta Scott King said, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
God bless all of you that witness our efforts. We feel we are making an impact and welcome your suggestions for improvement as we consider future endeavors. We are a transparent function of Trinity Church and invite you to examine our utility and personally join us in the kitchen or to the District. Having served over 2000 people in 2019 at a cost of just under $3.00 a person, we stand by our achievement.
Thank you for your support.
