By Nyerere C. Davidson
The Healthy Holiday Soup Kitchen was hosted by members of the Delta Kappa Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and the Eta Zeta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in conjunction with All Saints Church Food Pantry.
‘Tis the season to give to others – this holds true for the Healthy Holiday Soup Kitchen.
Hosted by members of the Delta Kappa Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and the Eta Zeta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in conjunction with All Saints Food Pantry, located in the All Saints Catholic Church, the Dec. 17 soup kitchen fed many families that otherwise would not have a place to receive a warm meal.
In an effort to combat hunger in the Greater Milwaukee area this holiday season and inspire service in the public interest, members of Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Gamma Rho partnered with the triweekly All Saints Food Pantry to serve more than 198 warm meals to inner-city families.
“It feels great to help because we are in a city that has a lot of needy families – it’s great to know that we can help provide service to the community,” said Justin Grace, president of the Delta Kappa Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. He said in the future he wants to create a “mass movement” in the city to fight homelessness and hunger. “…instead of being able to feed 100 [families], I want to be able to feed 500 [families],” Grace said.
Plates filled with baked chicken, veggies, fruits, desserts and warm dinner rolls provided sustenance for the near 200 attendees. On average, the All Saints Food Pantry provides 1,329 families per month with meals thanks to food donated by the Hunger Task Force of Greater Milwaukee. Every week the food pantry opens its doors every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Grace, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said that he wants to provide a “solution” for those that come through the food pantry doors, instead of providing “temporary satisfaction.”
“I want to be able to equip them with the tools to be successful once they leave these doors,” Grace added.
Porsha Knapp, a 22 yearold Chicago native, said that shares a similar sentiment as Grace.
“It’s important if you are in a position to give than you should,” said Knapp, president of the Eta Zeta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho. “It’s a part of my beliefs as a Christian, my personal beliefs and that of my sorority to give back,” the UW-Milwaukee student said. “A pat on the back or affi rmation isn’t need. It’s something that we are supposed to do.”
For Barbara Murphy, the All Saints food pantry coordinator, sponsoring the food pantry for the needy is something that is near and dear to her life.
“I love doing this. I was homeless too. This is a place to come where you won’t be judged, everyone here is family and there aren’t many places for people to go to,” Murphy said. “God says to love people and that is what doing and to see how they look when they are here, touches me.”
Murphy said that it’s great that Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Gamma Rho.
“Their volunteering shows the other side of people that are more fortunate and able to attend school… it speaks a lot about them,” Murphy said. “We are looking for new volunteers.”
For Anthony Mixon, a deacon at All Saints Catholic Church, being able to feed the less fortunate is truly a blessing.
“It’s great that we are given to the community and they are so grateful,” he said. “Every week, three times week we are able to be a blessing to these people.”
For more information on the All Saints Food Pantry or to become a volunteer, call (414) 875-9601.