During the holidays the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie and the Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) in Kingston had collection boxes at the back of the theaters after each performance. The Ulster County beneficiary of those donations was The Queens Galley in Kingston, a local "soup kitchen". Their program seeks to serve "real food, restaurant style, on real plates" to anyone seeking a meal. Anyone who is hungry can dine with dignity. After a recent meeting at UPAC, the visionary young lady that runs The Queens Galley, one Diane Reeder, asked if she could provide some refreshments and hors d'oeuvres to say thank you to the UPAC staff and volunteer board. While she had us all cornered in the lobby, she told us the story of Queens Galley. It is a story worth repeating.
She operates with a simple and wonderful philosophy. They take no government support of any kind. The kitchen is supported - in its entirety - by private and corporate donations. The reason that she takes no government support is that to do so would require her to document that all of the people utilizing her services meet the government's poverty criteria. She refuses to do that. She said that if anyone is humble enough to ask for a meal, they deserve to be fed, and to be able to dine with dignity. Diane really started me thinking. I am so far removed from her world that I cannot even fathom what the Queens Galley dining room must be like. I spend a lot of my free time writing about how to decide between the Burgundy and the Bordeaux on the wine list, while every month the majority of seniors need to choose between filling prescriptions or buying food. Every month. Think about that. One of six adults in this country will visit a soup kitchen or food pantry every month because they lack the resources to buy food. At the Queens Galley, one of four people on line for a meal is a child. That's got to make you think about how lucky we are. In addition to the dining room Queens Galley is also the local agency for "Share our Strength", who develop nutritional education programs, and also work with volunteer chefs and nutrition experts to produce culinary education programs. Their South Pine Street City Farm Project provides produce for the soup kitchen, for area markets (as a fund raiser), and soon for an in house restaurant and bistro - Rosemarie's Restaurant - which will focus on "hands on" Hudson Valley "farm to table" curricula.
Last month I heard someone say "We are all a four or five bad decisions away from being homeless". Scary thought, isn't it? That means we are two or three bad decisions away from being hungry. If - God forbid - that ever happened to me, I will be glad these guys are here.
If you live in the Hudson Valley and read this blog, you are passionate about food, and you care about what is happening locally. I can't think of a more appropriate charity for our group to support than The Queens Galley. So here's my idea. The next time we are deciding between the $25 Beaujolais and the $55 Bordeaux, let's order the Beaujolais. That $30 we save will pay for *ten* meals at The Queens Galley. I am also going to ask my Wednesday Night Boyz dinner crew to support this effort. The Queens Galley serves thousands of meals every week (at an average cost of $3). If we all do this once in a while, we can make a difference. You can contact or donate to The Queens Galley, 254 Washington Ave., Kingston, NY 12401. Phone 845-338-3468. Thanks for the consideration.
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