A Brooklyn organization fed several of the borough’s homeless at a food pantry on Saturday in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
The Brooklyn Bedford-Stuyvesant Lions Club and the Soup Kitchen Group held a pre-Thanksgiving event for the needy at the Mount Lebanon Baptist Church on Nov. 10. About 200 less fortunate people turned out for the soup kitchen and while food was the main course on the agenda — it was not the main hit, said one of the organizers.
“They loved the food but we were also giving out gently-used clothing and when we had asked them to line up for the clothes and food — a lot of them stepped off of the food line to go look at the clothes,” said Shirley Maddox. “It was just amazing because they seemed to really enjoy that.”
But the food was not far behind and patrons were also able to leave with food, added Maddox.
“They took a lot of food and we gave takeout plates, to the people that didn’t want to stay and eat, and some brought their own containers,” she said.
On the menu was turkey wings and other meat dishes including pork chops and baked chicken, stuffing, vegetables, and several dessert options, according to Maddox.
“A lot of people benefitted from this, other than the dinner and clothing, they enjoyed talking to other people,” she said.
She said the church hosts a soup kitchen once a month, and this time around the group wanted to offer its usual patrons something different from the usual offerings. And especially with the holiday season coming around, it was an opportune time to take that moment, said Maddox.
The Brooklyn Bedford-Stuyvesant Lions Club was founded in 1970 and its members have been serving their community for almost 50 years. Maddox said a charitable event like this was very important to hold because it reminds the needy that their well-being is a concern to many, and it allows the club to be that helping hand.
“This is what we do — Lions Clubs all over the world,” said Maddox. “It’s a volunteer service club organization and there are so many charitable things we get involved in.”
