A soup kitchen hardly seems like the place to find children clawing at pastries while adults chat and make new friends. But at Martha's Table, everyone from squealing children to serious professionals chip in to prepare food for the homeless.
Barbara McGilvray and her husband Jim have been helping out since 1992. They organize people in their congregation at Vale United Methodist Church in Oakland, Calif., to help chop vegetables and make sandwiches for the less fortunate.
"There's such a need in D.C.," McGilvray said. "We feel like it's important to give back."
At Martha's Table on 14th Street, a wide variety of people come to lend a helping hand. Some come with their church, some come on their own, some come with friends from school and others bring their kids to show the value of giving back to the community.
"That's part of the fun of the fellowship," McGilvray said as children around her diligently packaged donuts. "It gives us a chance to meet with people of all backgrounds."
One of the regulars the McGilvrays have befriended is Susmita Dasgupta, who works at the World Bank and has come to Martha's Table once a month since 1996.
"It's nothing special that I'm doing," she said. "We have a lot of time for ourselves; we can all spend a couple hours a month."
Dasgupta packed muffins as she spoke. The kitchen received a large donation of pastries that morning that each needed to be individually wrapped in sandwich bags.
All of the food came from private donations, which are valued at $1.4 million a
year. But, it is the volunteers who prepare
the food to create 3,000 sandwiches, 65
gallons of soup and 65 gallons of drinks
every day for 10 locations across the
District. The food goes straight to over 1,200
people a day.
The children running around the kitchen were part of the "Sprouts" program at Vale United Methodist. The program takes third through sixth graders and does community service projects with the New Community Church in Southeast.
Melany Hanson came with the children and said the program has been a success. She said it is something "we can do to help us understand other people."
Hanson said sometimes she brings all four of her children out to volunteer and makes a day of it. Although when the entire sprouts group comes, she leaves her three-year-old at home.
As the stacks of donuts grew higher, the kids watched in amazement as the amount of work they had done began to show.
"Whoa, look at all of those," one said.
Another proudly announced that they all were packing yummy stuff for the homeless.
Allison Brockman, 11, said she enjoys coming to help out with her family.
"It's really fun because when you all work together there's not a lot to do," Brockman said. "It helps people who need this food and it makes me feel really good."
Allison's dad, Randy, said he has brought his two daughters to Martha's Table a number of times.
"It teaches them the importance of community service," Randy Brockman said. "We've been blessed and it's time for them to give back."
The bustling kitchen hummed in sharp contrast to the quiet front desk of President Veronica Parke. She oversaw the volunteers and doled out sandwiches to the homeless who came to the door.
Over the course of a half an hour, 15 people came to her door looking for food. She cheerfully offered the egg salad sandwich of the day and let them take as many as they wanted.
Parke works six days a week, "full-full-time" to help out with Martha's Table's wide variety of programs. She said she usually tries to get in by 6 a.m.
"We're providing emergency food on the street but at the same time, we work to prevent the causes," she said. Parke manages after-school, tutoring and weekend programs that promote "nutrition, learning and literacy."
She said 300 children, whose ages range from three months to 18 years, come to her post. She modestly played down her role in the organization and gave a lot of credit to the volunteers who staff the programs.
"They're always saying 'what else' and I better find it," she said. "It's a challenge and it's fun."
Many AU students volunteer at Martha's Table through the community service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. Last spring, President Kyle Taylor volunteered his Fridays to help children after school.
"There is nothing more rewarding than helping someone who is excited to learn," he said. "While it may seem like volunteering only benefits others, you can learn a lot about yourself by helping people."
McGilvray smiled as she looked the volunteers working hard at getting the food ready. She said she volunteers because she wants to do more than give money. "Writing a check isn't enough," she said. "Time is more important"
