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For the past ten years Fairfield Rotary volunteers have provided a dinner meal monthly by buying, preparing, serving and cleaning up once a month on the first Tuesday. Two years ago we expanded the program to include the third Thursday as well. The Club budgeted funds to support this project in addition to the time, talent and treasure provided by each of the five or six teams.
During the middle of 2008 we noticed a decrease in the meals required at Prospect House. It was because of a change in program away from homeless persons to substance abuse clients with meals provided. Knowing the financial difficulties increasingly apparent we searched for a program where our organized service could make a real difference and discovered the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. They currently are providing 35,000 meals per month through various programs.
After conversations with Chef Paul Byron (Manager of Food Services) we saw the opportunity serving in their mobile van on Thursday each week shortly after 5:45 PM. The van rolls out of their yard behind 1088 Fairfield Avenue around 5:50 PM on Thursdays and proceeds to a location on Stratford Avenue on Bridgeport's East Side where hot dinners, served up in plastic trays for eating at home, are available as long as food lasts. Our service would simply be participating in site setup (3 minutes) and then filling the trays and distributing them with utensil, napkins and bread goods through the side window of the van. When the line of people or the food is gone, or 7:00 PM at the latest, we are through with the service. We can travel from the Rescue Mission with the food van or meet at the Stratford Avenue location once you know it.
Teams and captains remain as before, though some attention by each captain to increase to eight members on each team is necessary. Two consecutive Thursday evenings are planned in advance for each team. Each team captain should contact his team members to determine who will participate on which Thursday date. When the two weeks of service are complete another team takes over and it should be almost three months before a next turn comes around. Any problems should be addressed first to the Team Captain and then to me or to the Bridgeport Rescue Mission workers who drive the van to the site. Thank you for your continuing leadership on a real community service project. The appreciation of those we serve will make a real impression on you of the blessings each of us in Rotary enjoy at this time. Peace to each of you and to your family.
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