Bridges Makes Run in Storm

Bridges has never missed a Friday night Run into New York City in over 20 years. Twelve inches of snow on Friday, February 26, was not going to deter us from fulfilling our Run. The volunteer group scheduled to go out on Friday comes from 40 miles south of Summit so we knew they couldn’t make it. Although the roads were decent by evening, the threat of more snow and icy roads loomed. Run Coordinator, Dan RosenHanst, and I carried as many lunches as we could and took the train to Penn Station in NY and then a subway to Wall Street. Our arms were aching from the weight of the lunches. Dan’s friend, Victoria, joined us on Wall Street and shared the load.

Our first stop was an indoor public space on Wall Street known to b a safe haven from weather for homeless friends it that area. We met about eight men who were surprised and happy to see us. They were grateful for the lunches. One man was sleeping and we left lunches for him. We stayed a bit and then decided to walk to Battery Park, our usual Friday night stop. On the way, I saw man fishing through the trash for food. He slowly took the lunch I offered and then when I put the second lunch in his shopping bag, he smiled. We usually see about 75 people there, but due to the storm, there were just five men waiting for us and then another two come while we were there. We can only hope that the others were safe and warm indoors.

Dan and Victoria left me at the subway station. On the ride to Penn Station, I was feeling pretty good, nothing to carry and reliving the conversations and events of the evening, until a man burst through from another cart proclaiming he was so hungry his stomach pained. There I was with nothing to offer –just my train ticket home and no food. I felt so helpless.

When I got to Penn Station, I saw people in corners hopeful to make it through the night at the station and then others looking in trash cans looking for food. When I got to Summit, still trying to shake off those images, I saw at least six people I know to be homeless and again, I have nothing to offer. Knowing that we usually go out on a Friday night with 500-700 brown bag lunches and plenty for everyone we meet was little consolation this night.

Lois Bhatt, Executive Director, Bridges