Jan. 6, 2008 — Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands dishes up kindness along with lunch at its Tuesday soup kitchen, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nazareth Lutheran Church on St. John.
Lucille Beazer — Miss B to the folks who dine at the Catholic Charities table — comes over from St. Thomas on the ferry with boxes of food in tow. This particular week it was turkey, macaroni and cheese, beans, a roll, and a drink.
"She loves us. She's concerned about us. If one guy doesn't show up, she's concerned," said one man, who asked not to be identified.
Beazer said she serves lunch to around 15 people each Tuesday, but sometimes the numbers rise to as much as 21. "I love to help people," she said.
Nearly every one of the men dining this particular Tuesday had great things to say about Beazer.
"She even brought me some reading glasses," said Jeff Brown, 43.
Charlie Penn, 55, said it was good that the Catholic Charities served lunch because it meant people didn't have to beg.
Beazer also brings fresh clothes, and several were busy looking for clean pants and shirts.
Diners also said they come for the company as well as the good food. While their stories are different, they all have a common thread of life gone awry.
Michael Akin, who serves as Catholic Charities director, said that not all the people who eat at the soup kitchen are homeless.
"But they're needy and may not have the ability to prepare a meal," he said.
Beyond providing lunch, the program aims to help those enjoying lunch connect with other services so they can move on to a more independent situation. Akin said he'd like to expand the St. John program to provide showers.
He said the program is funded with federal money and through donations.
Akin said the lunch program is part of Catholic Charities' mission to house the homeless and feed the hungry.
And what is the Catholic Charities soup kitchen doing at Nazareth Lutheran Church? The Rev. Carlyle Sampson, who heads the Nazareth flock, said it started several years ago with a bit of ecumenical spirit, when the nearby Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church was being rebuilt.
He said the Lutheran Church was glad to help out, and Catholic Charities relocated the soup kitchen to Nazareth and continues to administer it there.
"We're here to serve the community," Sampson said, "and show God's love."
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