Interview with Nicole Artz-Taliana 3.14.10

“I like interacting with them. I like that connection I have with them and I just feel like they are regular human beings . Just because they might not have a home doesn’t mean that they should be treated not like our equal…You form bonds with them. It’s great.  You get connections with them. It’s a nice feeling. I think I get a lot out of that. I mean, in a way it’s a little selfish because I get a lot out of it.”

How long have you been volunteering here?

“Over 10 years”

What made you decide to volunteer at HUC?

“Well when I first moved back to New York, I was living in Connecticut and that’s where I first discovered soup kitchens and I was helping down in Connecticut. I enjoyed it so much, when i moved back to the city, they mentioned there was a soup kitchen. (This was about 15 years ago)

Why is homelessness/hunger your main interest?

“I don’t know why I started in Connecticut at the soup kitchen. I think someone I worked with was part of a soup kitchen and I just like interacting with them so I like interacting with them. I like that connection I have with them and I just feel like they are regular human beings . Just because they might not have a home doesn’t mean that they should be treated not like our equal…You form bonds with them. It’s great.  You get connections with them. It’s a nice feeling. I think I get a lot out of that. I mean, in a way it’s a little selfish because I get a lot out of it.”

You’ve rarely missed a Monday?

“I mean when I do, you feel guilty. We just feel like it’s our job. It becomes our job… we enjoy it. And I know a lot of times when we’re not here they ask for us. They miss us when we’re not here and we miss them.”

Are there certain of them who have been coming for 10 years?

“On and off for probably as long as 10 years. A lot of them come because they enjoy it. They enjoy the food. They think the food service is higher quality then other soup kitchens. They come because they like seeing us, taking to us. They like the environment. So they come.”