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Dorothy Day's Spirit Lives On
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December 16, 2010 - Those who come to Danbury's Dorothy Day soup kitchen at 11 Spring Street in Danbury on the first Thursday of every month will not only receive a hot, hearty meal, they will also be served with good humor, respect and camaraderie. Jeff Upsher is the coordinator of the first Thursday shift. "They get treated like I'm a real waiter", he said in a phone interview. "We call [our diners] guests."
Upsher explained that that the soup kitchen serves an average of 100 people a day. In the winter months, an average of 150 people are served. The doors open at 3:15 pm and the meal is served until 4:45 pm. Guests may take sandwich bags with them when they leave. The soup kitchen is open every day of the year aside from Thanksgiving and Christmas. On those days, dinner is served at St. James Church on West Street and New Hope Baptist Church on Liberty Street, respectively.
The soup kitchen staff is comprised of about 17 volunteers on any given day. Upsher explained that about seven people cook the day's meal throughout the morning. In the afternoon, eight to ten people serve the guests. Upsher described some of the items on the day's menu: bean, vegetable and ham soup, meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread, soda and dessert.
During the winter months, Dorothy Day opens its kitchen from 6 to 9 pm for their "Shelter From the Cold" program, offering people a place to warm up and have a hot drink. The overnight shelter opens at 9 pm every night and guests are admitted until 9:30 pm. The shelter has 16 beds, and according to the Dorothy Day website, people often have to be placed at the overflow shelter or the city shelter in the winter months because of lack of space.
The Dorothy Day Hospitality House first opened as a soup kitchen in 1982. Overnight facilities were first offered in 1983 after the city approached volunteers about the need for a shelter. The shelter's namesake was a crucial activist for the poor and homeless during the Great Depression, She was a tireless advocate for social change and charity throughout her entire life. According to shelter volunteer Mary Livezey, who has been at Dorothy Day since the beginning, the original volunteers chose her name "to be the spirit" of the facility.
Over the years, Livezey has seen that more and more people in need of assistance. The soup kitchen generally serves the working poor and the working homeless, while the shelter offers respite for the chronic homeless, people who are usually dealing with psychological issues and/or addictions. Upsher said that he notices an influx of guests depending on the economy, especially with day laborers. When the economy is struggling, more people show up to utilize the facility's services.
The Dorothy Day Hospitality House is run entirely by volunteers. Additional staff, cooks and servers are always needed. Donations are also always welcome. For a complete list of needed items, please visit DorothyDayDanbury.org/Wish_List.htm. Dorothy Day is also in need of sandwich donations. They may be able to utilize leftover food from a party or gathering. In this "season of giving", please think about helping those less fortunate. For more information on volunteering and/or donating, please call 203-743-7988 or visit DorothyDayDanbury.org.
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