Several hundred people, young and old, lined up Wednesday afternoon in a queue that wrapped around the block at 9th and G Streets Northwest. Bundled up against the cold, the patient crowd waited for seats at decorated tables arrayed outside the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington turned its regular Wednesday hot meal service for the hungry and homeless into an early Christmas dinner, replete with roast turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, collard greens and cornbread.
Eager volunteers of the St. Maria’s Meals program made up the plates at a long table of chafing dishes, then served their guests, who were seated at round banquet tables, covered with red tablecloths and topped with a poinsettia plant.
“Everyone deserves dignity, everybody matters, everybody counts,” said Jim Malloy, president and CEO of Catholic Charities DC.
“We have people that are without their homes that are here, and they come here to get a meal from us, which is great. And then you have food insecurity in this town where people are having trouble making ends meet, and so they have to make a decision whether they’re going to get a meal, or whether they’re going to keep the heat on,” Malloy said.
D.C. has seen a 30% increase in food insecurity, according to Malloy.
The St. Maria’s Meals program has served 23,000 free hot meals to people in need this year to help fill that gap.
Deacon James Nalls, of St. Patrick Catholic Church, strummed a guitar and led carolers who sang holiday favorites as seated guests dined.
“There’s a huge need in our city, and these are our neighbors,” said Father Patrick Lewis, pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church, who offered a pre-meal blessing at the early Christmas dinner. “And I think if we don’t have things to give them or we don’t know what to give, at least we could give them a smile or attention or a ‘hello,’ and really recognize in them the value of who they are because it could be any of us, but for the grace of God.”
“Man, this is gorgeous. This is good help for the ones that don’t have loved ones and can’t do Christmas with family members,” said Keith Braswell, a guest at the dinner.
“Thank you, God, for the meals and merry Christmas,” added a guest named Floyd.
