It's No Ordinary Soup Kitchen

By Kailani Koenig-Muenster -- 1/19/09

Today is a special occasion for many here in Washington, D.C. But for others, the Martin Luther King Day of Service lasts year-round.

In the nation's capital there were huge food and gift drives and small gatherings to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and encourage volunteerism. At the Church of the Epiphany on G Street, a group of people from the Youth Service Opportunities Project did what was already familiar to them.

The YSOP encourages middle and high school students to make big differences in people's lives by getting involved in community service. Although they prepare and serve meals to the homeless, they made sure to tell us they're no ordinary soup kitchen.

What makes this group unique is that after their guests attend the buffet, they are able to sit with the volunteers and play card games, do puzzles, or chat. The close-knit nature of the experience lends itself to more than food and warmth. Unlike many soup kitchens where people move briskly through a line and hardly talk with whoever is serving them, these events strive to develop a true personal connection between the volunteer and the guest.

Today's MLK Day of Service did bring more volunteers including a high-profile visit from Boston's first lady Angela Menino and Massachusetts Women for Obama. They readily pitched in by helping to serve the guests. But this exact event isn't unique to the Inauguration. It happens about every week at the same location in D.C.

Volunteers from YSOP wanted to emphasize that while the importance of today's community service should be cherished, the need lasts longer than today.

Photo Credit: Kailani Koenig-Muenster, WEBN News.