Hungry in Manhattan

My husband and I are currently in NYC and had the pleasure of meeting up with good friends of ours from Singapore. It’s been three years since I last saw them so we had plenty to talk about. We took them to our favorite bar and then headed up to Columbus Circle for dinner. It was a short walk filled with conversation and time to catch up on what’s been happening in our lives. As in every city there are people begging for money and our walk Saturday night was no exception. As we passed a man asking for money, I heard him quietly say he was hungry. I think I took 5 steps and turned to my husband and said I heard him say he was hungry. So I went back and asked if he was and he said yes. I asked if he wanted something to eat and ‘yes please’ was his reply. We ran across Broadway to a sandwich shop and I bought him a chicken sandwich, coffee and a muffin. He couldn’t thank me enough and I was just happy to end his hunger if for only an evening.

A few weeks ago I was coming out of my doctor’s office and a man was asking for money. I walked a few paces ahead and something inside me said to go back and ask if he was hungry. He said he was and I said I could buy him a sandwich from Sobey’s if he liked. He thanked me profusely and said that he can’t work because he has Schizophrenia and only recently found a room in a boarding house where he found peace and quiet. Before that he was on the streets. He said he writes in a journal every day to help him. I listened to his story with deep empathy. He was so sweet when he politely asked if he could have milk with his sandwich.

I’ve been thinking about these two people from different countries but with the same hunger problems. It also made me wonder how on one hand there can be so much hunger in Canada and in the United States and on the other obesity. Obesity in Canada is on the rise and in the United States about one-third of adults are obese and 12.5 million children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.

Last night my husband and I were watching Piers Morgan interview Jeff Bridges on his new CD and acting career. At one point we were almost turned off by what Bridges was saying but then he said something that made my husband and I listen. He passionately spoke about No Kid Hungry in America which is the campaign supported by Share Our Strength. “Our first priority is to end childhood hunger in America by 2015, to make No Kid Hungry a reality“.   Jeff Bridges blurted this out when Piers Morgan asked what his personal goals are. Bridges said that was his only goal, to end hunger in the United States.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: For the most part I am driven to blog about good food to nourish our bodies. And then there are moments like I have described above that gives me another opportunity to be vocal about an issue that is widespread.  Every community has its share of programs to help the homeless, needy and hungry.  We support a church initiative called St. Andrew’s Suppers (click here to view).   We can help to make a difference by starting with one person.

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