Insider’s Look at Alternative Spring Break

By: Mary Grace Donaldson
Posted In: Opinion

This past March, I had the privilege to participate in the Mercy Center for Spiritual Life’s Alternative Spring Break Mission Trip to New York City to serve New York’s homeless population. Seven students participated in the trip, accompanied by two chaperones, Cheryl Lemenager, a graduate student and Salve representative for AmeriCorps VISTA, and Phil Fiadino, campus minister.

The Monday of spring break was our first day of work at the New York City Food Bank. We prepared a meal at the food bank instead of serving one. I was assigned to onion peeling and chopping. I kept trying to think of the people we’d be serving; they would be lucky to have these onions.

The next day we were ready for our work at Maryhouse and St. Joseph House of the Catholic Worker in SoHo. Maryhouse is a residence and soup kitchen for women in need, while St. Joseph’s House serves the same purpose for men. Both houses were founded by Dorothy Day. Our chaperone Phil described the houses as holy ground, as Dorothy Day made a difference in the lives of others enough to be up for canonization as a saint.

I was assigned to work with half our group at St. Joseph House, while the other half was sent to Maryhouse. Our task for the day at St. Joseph House was serving a meal to the men who were staring wide-eyed and desperate at the door, waiting for mealtime.

This was our group’s first encounter with the homeless of New York, and the experience blew my mind. The men looked at me with blood-shot eyes each time that one of them asked me for more coffee. They tapped their feet as they waited for their helpings of soup and bread. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to dread leaving your table because you don’t know where and when your next meal is going to be.

We returned to the food bank on Wednesday, with extended hours as we were eager to both serve and prepare the food. I was placed in a downstairs storage facility with three other members of our group preparing more canned salmon than I’ve ever seen in my life. Our task was to take the salmon out of the can, pour it into drainers, and then, arrange the raw salmon in pans. I felt like I was on “Survivor” as I was covered in fishy slime, but I made it. Someone would be glad to eat the fish that I prepared.

We devoted the afternoon to serving. The food line was pure mayhem. Each of us had a different plate to fill and had to eventually make sure that it made it to a tray. My arm got a great workout as I think it must have scooped 300 dibbles of cooked carrots.

On Friday I was placed in Maryhouse where we prepared and served. One woman wasn’t keen on coming to Maryhouse in the rain and requested a food delivery. I took the job, ready for something outside my comfort zone. I took food two blocks to the apartment building of a very elderly woman. I found her building without trouble, but I felt tightness in my chest as my finger hit the buzzer for her apartment.

This woman’s apartment was on the first floor, and I tapped gently on the door. A wrinkled, short woman answered the door with a grey cat at her feet. Her big eyes and high, squeaky voice were full of gratitude. I was so glad to have made her day.

That’s what the entire trip was all about, making someone’s day.