December 22, 2016

Annual Homeless Persons Memorial Day service held at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen

REGIONAL
Story and photos by David Martin

CHICOPEE — Elms College nursing students and staff members, Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos and community members gathered for the fourth annual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day 2016 tribute, which took place on Dec. 21 at 4:30 p.m. at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Chicopee. 

Members of the nursing school at Our Lady of the Elms College, here, are motivated to serve the homeless in the Chicopee area because of the mission of the college and the concerns of those living on the street as the weather turns colder.

Every year since 1990, on or near Dec. 21, the National Coalition for the Homeless has advocated National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness. Nearly 60 people attended the memorial service which took place on the first day of winter and the longest night of the year in the parking lot of Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen to remember those who have lost their lives to homelessness over the past year.

Conventional Franciscan Brother Michael Duffy, the coordinator of the accelerated second degree program in nursing at Elms College, said the event originated after he did doctoral work through Elms College by working with the homeless at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen. This work led to the creation of the Elms College School of Nursing caRe vaN, which travels to Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and offers blood pressure clinics and free healthcare for the homeless when they come in for a meal. Brother Duffy said the first year that they offered this service, someone on the street died and since he had heard of the National Homeless Day, Elms College began sponsoring the Homeless Memorial Day tribute in Chicopee.

“We see people that live in cars, we’ve had the guys that live in tents down near the sewage treatment plant and we have the folks that are under (highway) 391. So we need to raise consciousness and we need to remember those who would otherwise not be remembered,” said Brother Duffy.

Brother Duffy said the Elms College nursing school also works in collaboration with the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Sunday Sandwich Ministry to hold the Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day Tribute. He said the sandwich ministry has been in operation for seven years on Sundays, since Lorraine’s Kitchen is a Monday through Friday operation. He said the caRe vaN is available behind Chicopee Savings Bank in the Westfield Bank parking lot earlier in the morning and the sandwiches arrive at 11:30 a.m.

Brother Duffy said the basilica’s sandwich ministry comes from the concept, “If you build it, they will come. If you feed them, they will come.” So if the homeless come for a sandwich, he said, they will also get free healthcare and vice versa.

During the outdoor service on Dec, 21, Conventual Franciscan Father Joseph Benicewicz, pastor of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Basilica Parish, said that at last year’s memorial the temperature was warmer, almost 60 degrees, while this year it was quite cold. He said many people can make adjustments to those conditions, putting on a heavier coat or wearing a lighter jacket, but for those who are confined to living on the street, those choices are much more difficult. He offered a prayer for the homeless and for those who reach out to help them.

“We ask the Lord’s blessings upon all the endeavors here throughout tonight and that we be able to continue to look out for the least among us, to continue to be the face of God’s love and mercy for those who are most in need,” said Father Benicewicz.

After the outdoor service, everyone was invited indoors for a dinner that was served by volunteers. One of them was Tiffany Smith, a senior nursing student at Elms College.

Smith said as a nursing student she has the opportunity to work with Brother Duffy caring for the homeless on the school’s caRe vaN. She said through this experience she learns the story of homeless people and where they come from, which gives her motivation to try to do more to help them. She said it means a lot to her to help people in need in the community.

“Everybody has their own trials and tribulations that they go through and in the holiday season, just kind of being mindful that you don’t know what somebody is going through and maybe going out of your way every once in a while, it goes a long way,” said Smith.

Smith said that after she graduates in May, she plans to continue helping the homeless in all the surrounding areas. Lorraine’s Food Kitchen was also taking monetary contributions and donations of food items and clothing during the event.

For a video version of this story, tune into an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” the Diocese of Springfield’s weekly television newsmagazine that airs Saturday evenings  at 7 on WWLP-22 NEWS.