By Alyssa Dioguardi, Teacher, The Bronxville School

Dec. 20, 2017:  I have never been a huge fan of holiday radio stations that play Christmas music all day long. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good holiday song, but I was never really drawn to the kind of pop holiday music that is all over the radio.

In an earlier life, I trained to be a classical pianist and was always drawn to the kind of epic symphonies that showcased the versatility of music alongside the grandeur of the holidays. I think that is partly why I love "Carol of the Bells" so much and was surprised to find myself excited the first time I heard it on the radio this year. But something was not quite right; as I listened, I realized that this wasn’t "Carol of the Bells" at all but a Cricket Wireless radio commercial. To say I was devastated was an understatement. Here is this beautiful choral piece that so clearly signifies the holiday spirit (or at the very least, memories of watching Home Alone), and it was being used to sell data plans for wireless devices.

For me, this experience was a personal call to realize what the holiday season is really about – not cell phones, new clothes, or gadgets, but about embracing time with family and friends and being thankful for the year’s fortunes and experiences. We at the Bronxville Teachers' Association are so fortunate to have members in our Bronxville School community who embrace these values year-round and share them with our students and our local community.

This month I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Veronica Lindahl, third-grade teacher, who leads the charge in organizing BTA involvement with the HOPE Soup Kitchen. 

How long have you been working with the HOPE Soup Kitchen?

I started volunteering with my fellow BTA members four years ago as part of what was supposed to be a one-time event. However, after the overwhelmingly wonderful emails I received from my fellow staff members wanting to continue to help, it quickly turned into a monthly initiative that we have continued for four years now.      

How did you become involved with the HOPE Soup Kitchen?

Helping the homeless is something I have been passionate about since my senior year in high school when I chose to write about the high population of homeless children as my senior research thesis. When David Katz asked if I could help spearhead this new work, I jumped at the opportunity. The church I belong to, St. Catharine’s in Pelham, is one of the churches that cooks food for HOPE, so I knew about this soup kitchen prior to discussing it with David. I feel honored to work with my colleagues in doing this important work and helping those less fortunate than us.  

What kind of work do you do when you are there?

When we get to the soup kitchen, the first thing we do is go around and serve juice, water, and salad. Next, we split up, and half of the volunteers create an assembly line and dish out the food onto the plates. The other half of the staff serves the clients. After a prayer has been said and everyone has eaten, the clients are invited up for seconds. We also pass out to-go bags that have been made earlier in the day. Finally, we help clean up by sweeping and washing the tables.  

Can you talk about a memorable or surprising experience you’ve had while there?

I think the most memorable experience I have had there was my first time going to the soup kitchen. At first, I was taken back by the number of people that were there and in need of help, and then, as I began to work, I was moved by the HOPE community and how it was a sort-of family where these clients felt a sense of belonging to. Carole Troum, executive director, calls it a “family of choice.” As I began to meet the incredible women that work there, like Iris, who is 98 years old and full of spirit and energy, I was moved by their gigantic hearts and how the soup kitchen is just a small portion of what they do to help get others back on their feet. Working at HOPE Soup Kitchen is both a rewarding and humbling experience.          

How do you involve your students in the work that you do? What impact does it have on them?

Working at the soup kitchen has afforded me the opportunity to discuss with my students my experiences while working there. Although my students are not at the age where they can help volunteer at the kitchen, they have asked me if they can help in other ways. For the holidays, they created snowflakes and cards that were used to decorate the hall of the soup kitchen to bring extra cheer to the clients during the holiday season. Last year, a group of fifth-graders came down to interview me for their inquiry project on homelessness and then took it upon themselves to call the soup kitchen and set up an appointment with one of the directors to see if they can help make a further difference. I think that it is important to have these discussions with students and to help inspire them to take action in the world. No matter how young our students are, we can begin them on the path of looking beyond themselves, foster the seeds of empathy, and inspire taking small steps towards greater change.       

What don’t we know about the soup kitchen?

Carole Troum, the executive director at HOPE, shared with me that the soup kitchen was founded 33 years ago and last year they served 39,532 meals. The food comes from 35 local churches, synagogues, and organizations. Up to 200 volunteers staff the soup kitchen each month to help it run smoothly. The soup kitchen is also a point of entry to other programs. HOPE Community Services also has several other programs. One program is the Community Outreach/Self-Sufficiency Program. This is a drop-in program that provides problem-solving and resources to the community. Another program is Housing for the Homeless. HOPE Community Services offers four housing programs, and in the last year, they helped house over 100 chronically homeless individuals, many of whom are veterans. An additional program is their food pantry, which provides bags of groceries, meat, and produce. Last year, bags of groceries were given out to 13,877 people. This includes 4,032 children. We gave out 13,653 bags totaling 368,631 meals.  

This time of year, HOPE Community Services needs help sorting winter coats and Christmas toys and sorting groceries from food drives. You can go to the website http://www.hopecommunityservices.org/donate.html to donate.  

After having a lovely lunch with Veronica, I realized that while the holidays were an opportune time to talk about the work that the Bronxville Teachers' Association does with HOPE Soup Kitchen, it is by no means the only time that we should be thinking about giving back. With the many wonderful programs that the HOPE Soup Kitchen supports year-round, there is always a way that we can continue to give back. The BTA is so fortunate to have such a passionate and dedicated individual working with our students and teachers to help spread the love during the holidays and throughout the year. Veronica, thank you for all the amazing work you do in bringing our community together!

Pictured here (left to right):  Veronica Lindahl, Judy Visoky, Jasmine Cacace, Carol Fata and Mary Reilly 

Photo courtesy Alyssa Dioguardi