MyBallard reported last week that the Ballard Food Bank’s soup kitchen at Calvary Lutheran Church at 7002 23rd Ave. NW was shutting down because of unruly behavior by a few clients. However, the Phinney Neighborhood Association just told us that their soup kitchen, which serves Monday lunch at Calvary Lutheran, is still running.
Judith Wood, the PNA’s volunteer coordinator, says Soup Kitchen Coordinator Michael Gregory has never had any serious problems with soup kitchen clients. The PNA also serves Tuesday dinner and Wednesday lunch at St. John United Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, at 5515 Phinney Ave. N.
Judith says the number of PNA soup kitchen clients is increasing.
I feel strongly that during this time of economic uncertainty, those of us who still have jobs and homes (even if our retirement accounts are tanking) need to do all we can for those on the margins. It doesn’t take much to make a difference for one person served by one agency.
11 responses so far ↓
1 b. 1961 // Mar 10, 2009 at 2:46 pm
PNA is a good example of what neighbors can do. Thank you all.
2 Ballardite // Mar 10, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Can’t the PNA feed pigeons in their own neighborhood?
3 jm // Mar 10, 2009 at 6:48 pm
The Lutheran Church at 55th and Phinney Ave. is feeding some folks. We’re not sure what they are offering, but it isn’t pigeon food.
4 Mina & Co. // Mar 11, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I can only hope that “Ballardite” is 10 years old, and therefore has much opportunity to mature in his/her communication skills and ethics. With so many ways to use blogs productively, and to be truly clever, it’s sad to see the space wasted.
5 SPG // Mar 11, 2009 at 5:51 pm
If you go over to the comments in the MyBallard.com stories about the soup kitchen you’ll see that the neighbors who live around Cavalry and the people who work in downtown Ballard feel like they’re being overrun with drunks/druggies and the worst elements of the homeless. Some of the comments are pretty rude, some clueless, but the general feeling is that Ballard has too many problems with homeless people that harass people downtown and commit petty crimes just outside the view of the soup kitchen.
The whole brouhaha got started when Cavalry’s pastor was seen as less than forthcoming about the shelter plans in a community meeting and then the complaints about the homeless came pouring in.
6 artman51 // Mar 11, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Speaking of the homeless. I have noticed a woman living in the bus shelters near the Zoo on Phinney. Lately she’s right in front of the Norse Home. I notified the Union Gospel Mission, but they don’t have an out reach program. We also notified the police. Doesn’t look like her bus ever stops by.
7 whittier heights // Mar 12, 2009 at 6:00 am
I wish there was some sort of outreach program that could help…….wonder if a call to the King County Designated Mental Health Professionals (461-3222) would be appropriate. They may know the individual and could contact a service provider if there is one…….
I know it is no crime to hang out for a long time at a bus stop, and it is not neccessarily a sign of mental illness. Just thought I would suggest something else to try (futile as that may seem)
Some people are just hard to engage into services – call it pride or something else. They think that they can take care of themselves, despite evidence that living at a bus stop is not standard for our culture.
8 Judith // Mar 12, 2009 at 11:47 am
In response to JM above, the PNA serves a Tuesday dinner and Wednesday lunch at St. John United Lutheran Church at 55th and Phinney, in addition to the Monday lunch at Calvary Lutheran in Ballard. These are full meals (not just soup) prepared by community volunteers, under the supervision of one paid staff person and funded in large part by the City of Seattle.
In answer to those who have asked why the PNA is in Ballard, we are not limited geographically, in spite of our name. Our program offerings include 65th Street Preschool Co-op, which meets at Trinity United Methodist Church in Ballard, a preschool and before and after-school care program at Whittier Elementary School in Ballard, and the Greenwood Senior Center (in Greenwood!). All of these programs and our involvement with them evolved over time in response to community needs and our capacity as an organization to partner with other local groups to meet these needs.
9 artman51 // Mar 13, 2009 at 5:26 am
Judith,
So that’s why people are living in their vehicles on Phinney Ave. near St. Johns.
10 Kara // Mar 13, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Another resource — the food bank at Bethany Community Church (in the Community Education building) is open every Monday evening from 6pm to 7pm. Bags (both cook and no-cook) are also available daily from the church office.
Bethany Community Church
http://churchbcc.org/
8023 Green Lake Drive North
11 still hungry // Mar 13, 2009 at 1:42 pm
thanks Judith for all you do to keep the PNA well organized, and the rest of us informed. The NW neighborhoods would not be the same without your little membership driven association. I hear that there is a pot luck coming up in a couple of saturdays.
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