On Monday, January 6th, our group was able to go to a soup kitchen located in the Bronx called Part Of The Solution or POTS. We were set to meet a woman (who’s last name we could NOT pronounce) and found her waiting for us outside. Turns out, going to this soup kitchen is not the easiest thing to do. We got lost several times and realized at least six times that we were walking in the wrong direction. Once we arrived (30 minutes late), we were greeted by Kristin, the volunteer coordinator for POTS. immediately, she pointed out a chalk board and said, “My customers need an inspirational quote, go for it”. Kristin handed us a bucket of sidewalk chalk, and we drew a sun, some grass and flowers – and wrote, “life is tough but so are you”. Once that order of business was done, we wiped down the chairs and tables inside of what they call the Community Dining Room. Immediately, we realized that the dining room was very small. There were only five or six tables, but the people outside clearly would need more space. We were told that the Dining Room is set up in shifts. This way more people can receive more individualized attention, and a warm meal. There is also a health care and rental assistance program that runs in the upstairs part of the POTS building.
After we had straightened up the chairs and learned more about the facility, we noticed a lot of commotion coming from outside. The head chef told us that the chips had just arrived. Around two hundred bags of chips (of all sizes) are shipped to POTS every day. They let their customers pick and choose which two bags they would like to take home. They let us have a bag of chips too. Kristin then lead us outside to a van filled with breads. We brought at least ten garbage bags filled with fresh breads into the kitchen and then sorted them into piles of bagel, buns and rolls. They told us that local bakeries and supermarkets often donate all kinds of their excess goods to pots. Also in the bags were croissants, donuts and cakes. Whole cakes and pastries had been donated because at POTS, the “customers” are really treated like family. They each get as much food as they want, and at most two servings of desserts that are laid out on plates and then given out. We also helped to “fluff” couscous and prepare foods. We learned that despite the outward appearance, POTS mainly helps people living in poverty, rather than the homeless. They offer long term support and have people who come by daily seeking financial help or food. POTS is an amazing program that really helps people in the long run.
