We love our friends.
It’s 4:50 on a Friday – the last Friday of the month to be precise – and a few of us Crowley Webbers are still getting our hair nets just so, a task which isn’t easy with plastic gloves on. We then tie each others’ aprons, peel back the foil from the large food trays situated in front of us, take a collective deep breath, and happily greet the first person through the line.
“How are you today, sir?” one of us asks a modest man in a Buffalo Bills cap and nondescript black winter coat.
“Good. What’s on the menu tonight?” he replies with a sincere grin.
“Turkey. Mashed potatoes. And we have some beans, too.”
“Wonderful. I’ll have it all. Thank you very much.”
And so begins another night for us at Friends of Night People.
While Crowley Webb may only volunteer here once per month, this proud establishment is open and serving food every night. Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, July 4 – you bet it’s open. And it’s been going strong for more than 40 years now in downtown Buffalo. But the great thing about Friends of Night People – and what may best differentiate it from other “soup kitchens” – is what it offers aside from meals. Once a month or so, a general practitioner is on premise providing free medical care. A foot doctor does the same. As does a lawyer, who can field questions and provide advice. Visitors can also take home personal care products – from band-aids to toothpaste – along with clothes, blankets, and even bags of groceries. This is all part of Friends of Night People’s mission to nourish the whole person.
This is exactly what attracted Crowley Webb to Friends of Night People years and years ago. When we volunteer here, we’re not just serving people food, we’re playing a small role in helping them get their lives back on track. So every fourth Friday of the month, a group of six or seven us makes the trek to Allentown, we throw on some aprons, and dish out some hope. And while each night is certainly a unique experience, we always leave with the same satisfied feeling.
About halfway through this particular Friday night, a young girl scurries back to the counter where we’re stationed. She had been seated with her mom and sister in a special dining area designated specifically for families. She asks if she might have another cookie for her and her sister to share. As she runs back to her family overjoyed – a treat in each hand – we can’t help but smile and realize moments like this are what keep us coming back month after month after month.
If you’re interested in learning more about Friends of Night People, if you’d like to volunteer, or you want to make a donation of food, clothing, or whatever – just check out their website.
Tagged with Friends of Night People, volunteer