On Tuesday, June 4, 2019, CenterBridge Planning Group helped prepare, serve, and clean up the dinner meal served at the Samaritan Center, located in the former St. John the Evangelist Church on the North Side of Syracuse. The building’s stunning architecture, with its 60 foot ceilings and large stained glass windows, is the back drop of the organization’s meal service, which takes place 365 days a year.
Joe Lazzaro and Pat Mahardy were returning volunteers, having previously been of service through their association with the Financial Planning Association of Central New York. Joe and Pat worked shifts in the kitchen and were kind enough to alert our newcomers, Brent Schleicher and Marie Robeson, to wear hats so that they could avoid wearing hairnets! Brent & Marie helped serve the meal and collect the dishes as clients finished their meals. More than 100 meals were served. Following the meal, all of us helped clean the dining room’s floors, chairs, and tables so that the space would be ready for breakfast the next day.
Each CenterBridge volunteer was paired up with a more experienced volunteer, who introduced us to some of the Center’s clients and guided us on the very efficient processes the Samaritan Center employs in order to serve about 121,000 meals per year to individuals and families in need.
For more information on how you can help the Samaritan Center, please click here.
Gallery:
