Heeding the call of the hungry

BY JOYCE BLAY
Staff Writer

MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Catherine Anthony (pictured) and her husband, Charles, welcome guests to the Under His Wing soup kitchen twice a month at All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakewood. There is divine inspiration on the menu at Under His Wing, a soup kitchen located at All Saints Episcopal Church, Madison Avenue and Second Street, Lakewood, where a hot meal and an open heart are always the main course.

“When we open our doors, the only thing we say to our guest is ‘Welcome,’ ” said director Charles Anthony, 59. “Our only mission is to serve, and that’s it.”

Under His Wing Inc. opened its soup kitchen in 1999, according to the organization’s Inter-net Web site. Since that time, services to the needy have increased each year that it has been in operation.

“Our bills are primarily paid by donations from the parish, All Saints, and from individual donations,” Anthony said. “I’ve submitted three [grant applications] for funding, and we’re waiting to see if those grants are approved.”

Six years ago, Anthony worked as the soup kitchen’s cook, according to Catherine Anthony, his wife of 15 years. One year later, he became director of the kitchen. Today, a staff of volunteers assists the Anthonys in dispensing a hot meal and nourishment for the soul.

Many of the working poor may be only a paycheck away from hunger and want, he said.

“At a restaurant, have you ever looked up at the face of the person who puts a plate on your table?” Anthony asked a reporter. “Maybe she works a second job to put food on her table. If she loses this job, she can’t put food on her table. The major cause of homelessness today is families with kids — and not just one kid, but two or three. It’s a whole new demographic.”

Born in South Carolina, Anthony met his wife, Catherine, at the place of business where both worked in Tuckahoe, N.Y. They married and moved to Lakewood, he said.

“We were looking for a place to live that was cheaper than New York,” Anthony said.

The couple has three children, ages 10, 11 and 12, who attend Ocean Day School in Lakewood.

Anthony works in the library of Georgian Court University, while his wife works at Target, which she said donates clothing to Under His Wing for distribution to those who need it.

In addition to a soup kitchen and clothing distribution, Under His Wing also operates a food pantry.

Anthony said the obligation to perform charitable service should not be attributable solely to religious indoctrination. In his view, it is a humanitarian duty no one should shirk.

“Even in this day and age, people have to help out their fellow human beings and we’re all human,” he said. “If you want to bring the religious aspect into this, then you can look at this as what you do for the least of my brothers, is what you do for me.”

On a recent day, Under His Wing opened its doors to guests at noon. Shortly before the scheduled closing time of 1:30 p.m., Catherine said 141 guests had been served that day.

In the dining area, diners Carole Gray, 62, and Tanisha Cunningham, 30, sat down to a lunch of turkey, stuffing, string beans, rolls, juice, cake and coffee. Much of the food was provided through the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, and there were also donations from Entenmann’s of Brick.

Gray said she was a former resident of Lakewood, but moved to Toms River three years ago. She said it was her first time dining at Under His Wing.

Cunningham said she lived at the Lexington Rest Home in Lakewood, where Gray was employed. Both women arrived together for their luncheon meal at Under His Wing.

A volunteer provided a cheerful smile in addition to the plates of food and cups of coffee and milk she served to her guests. The turkey and the sides that came with it were the only offering of the day, but the volunteer enthusiastically recommended it to Gray and Cunningham as though it were the special among a list of menu choices.

“It’s very delicious and moist,” she told the two women.

Gray agreed with the volunteer’s assessment.

“I think it’s good,” she said.

When asked if she would return to the soup kitchen again, Gray nodded her head affirmatively as she ate.

“Yes, I think so,” she said.

The volunteer asked Gray and Cunningham if they would print their names on the back of two paper plates she handed them. On the front, the plates said, “Help the hungry of Lakewood.”

Volunteers inside the kitchen said the campaign was part of a statewide initiative to request a line item in the state budget for the purchase of emergency food. The plates were intended to be displayed by the anti-hunger coalition on Dec. 1.

According to volunteer Sheryl Smith, 55, many of the guests served a meal at Under His Wing are transients who lived in rooming houses in Lakewood. However, she said many had been closed in recent years, forcing residents who were living in those rooming houses to seek other accommodations.

“I had one gentleman who lived in the woods by the railroad tracks, which [he said] made it hard to get any sleep,” said Catherine Anthony. “He ate and [then] fell asleep at the soup kitchen’s table. I let him sleep until it was time to close. I haven’t seen him since, but that doesn’t mean he might not have been here.”

When asked if any of the volunteers had a wish list for the soup kitchen, Smith said hers would be for more food to serve the hungry.

“Sometimes we don’t have enough,” she said. “We also have a food pantry and we run extremely low” at times.

In addition to food and hot meals, Smith said the facility offered clothing and other necessities to those in need of them.

Volunteer Don Krautter, 73, a deacon at the Episcopal Church of Whiting, wished for something even more basic.

“My wish list is that there wouldn’t be any more hungry people,” he said.

Under His Wing is open on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from noon to 1:30 p.m. For further information about its services or to make a donation, go to www.underhiswing.org or contact Charles Anthony at (732) 276-6676.