Connecticut
Pride is the sentiment that radiates from this 57-year-old Vietnam veteran. A descendent of a long line of military service men, this jovial man animatedly educates all who will listen on the history of New England, Connecticut, and his home, New Haven.
Robert first started coming to the food bank just over two years ago when he lost his home in Florida and had to have heart surgery at the VA hospital in New Haven. The VA hospital encouraged him to visit the Community Soup Kitchen, and he started going there post-operation. He found himself homeless after his surgery, with no family left in the area and his social security check as his only source of income.
Now living out of a van which he parks each night at local truck stops, Robert relies on the nutritional salads and vegetables he receives from the Community Kitchen. Often times, the hot meal they serve Robert on the four days they are open is the only food he can rely on for the day. In return, Robert spends many of his days helping out with the clean up after meals in the community soup kitchen, washing over 300 plates on their busiest days. Emotionally, he has embraced the community of staff, volunteers, and other clients as his own family, as they have done with him.
Robert’s hardest days are Wednesday and Sunday, when he doesn’t have the soup kitchen, meal, work, and friends to look forward to. He braces himself for a cold winter ahead and is gathering blankets and coats to keep warm in his van at night. Despite it all, he is looking forward to a festive Thanksgiving meal and to a holiday season where he feels blessed and thankful for the opportunity and support the Community Soup Kitchen provides him and others in need in the area.