Gerard first came to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen as a child. When food stamps weren’t enough to feed his family, his mother took Gerard and his brothers and sisters from their Hell’s Kitchen apartment to the soup kitchen. “Every day we would trek from 48th Street to 28th Street to come eat,” he recalls.
“People find themselves at a hard spot in life – it’s not the end. With hard work and a strong ethic you can overcome any type of obstacle.” -Gerard
Gerard’s family hit some difficult times and he spent time in foster care. At 18 when he “aged out” of the system, Gerard once again found himself turning to Holy Apostles for help. This time, he needed more than just a meal
“There was a time when I couldn’t even afford a haircut, and I needed a haircut really badly. How could I get a job if my hair was all over the place?” Gerard says. The haircut ended up paying off – the next day, he got the job.
Now, at 32, Gerard is in a good place in his life. He is married with children of his own. But when the family is having trouble making ends meet, Gerard and his wife come here, to help provide for their children.
“People shouldn’t be too proud to come to a place like this. There’s nothing wrong with coming to a soup kitchen, at all,” Gerard says.
Gerard has seen firsthand the diversity of people who need help from Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and how, with a little help, they can get their lives back on track. “People find themselves in a hard spot in life and they come here,” Gerard says. “It’s not the end. Hard work and a strong ethic, you can overcome any obstacle.”
Gerard is grateful that the soup kitchen has been here for him throughout his life and for the donors who helped make that possible. “I’m grateful that this organization is here to help open doors for people. The money that people donate goes where it needs to go. It goes to the bellies of the people who are hungry.”
