Space for all at Federation for the Homeless Thanksgiving meal

ELIZABETH LEPRO
Posted 11/28/18

MONTICELLO, NY — At a table near the door of the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless, Bonnie and her two children, 16 and 14, waited for the turkey to come around. It was the …

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Space for all at Federation for the Homeless Thanksgiving meal

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MONTICELLO, NY — At a table near the door of the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless, Bonnie and her two children, 16 and 14, waited for the turkey to come around.

It was the family’s first year not eating Thanksgiving at home, according to Bonnie, after losing their house three weeks prior. The family, from Liberty, had been staying in a hotel, and just moved into a new apartment in Monticello the night before Thanksgiving. Bonnie didn’t yet have pots or pans. “It was stressful. And I just wanted my kids to have a meal, so I brought them here,” she said. (In photo at right, Bonnie talks with the Kathy Kreiter, the federation's program administrator.)

Throughout the room, members of the Congelosi family (photo at left) weaved in and out of their respective stations, serving mashed potatoes, stuffing and salad to others gathered to enjoy a warm holiday meal. The Congelosis are also used to spending their Thanksgiving at home, but this year Nicole, her husband and her two children donned plastic gloves to volunteer for the federation’s Thanksgiving dinner. At the far end of the room, beneath the stage, father and son duo Jared and Steve Kaufman carved the turkey—a tradition they’ve upheld at the federation for several years.

So, even if they weren’t all gathered around the same table, the holiday was still a family affair for many at the federation’s annual Thanksgiving meal.

“I think some of the parents [volunteering] are trying to instill in their kids a sense of community—a little bit of ownership about helping your neighbors,” said Cesar Loarca, vice chairperson of the board of directors. The federation only has two full-time and two part-time staff members. The rest are volunteers, Loarca said, adding that there is always an influx of help during the holidays. “There’s a lot of goodness in our society… neighbors help neighbors. When it comes down to it, a lot of people still believe in that. And that’s why we have a lot of people helping out.”

In New York State, homelessness increased by 41% from 2007 to 2015, the highest of any state in the country. In Sullivan County, the most recent estimates placed nearly 18% of people to be living in poverty, with the highest percentage of people in that group to be children under the age of 18. Of those families with female heads of household and children—families like Bonnie’s—45% were in poverty, according to a 2015 report from the Sullivan County Community Action Commission to Help the Economy, Inc.

Even with the unemployment rate in Sullivan County at an all-time low, some people don’t make enough to afford all that the holidays entail. Stacey, who moved to the area from Brooklyn while working for the state, said he’s faced a “downward spiral” since losing his state job. Now, he works at the casino in Monticello. “I’m slowly building my way back, but it’s kind of hard,” he said.

For those without a reliable home, or away from family, Thanksgiving can be a tough holiday. The federation offered a place for everyone to come together, eat—or take home—as much as they like.

The federation expected to give out about 150 meals total. “No matter what, people are welcome,” Loarca said, giving the introductory speech to volunteers that day. “We don’t have any judgment, we serve anybody who’s here.”

The Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless operates the only soup kitchen in the area, as well as hosting regular programs for those in need in Sullivan County. If you would like to donate or volunteer for the federation call 845/794-2604 or visit the federation’s website at scfed eration.org.

Monticello, Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless

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