25 years ago, a group of faculty and students here at Yale got together to discuss the idea of starting a soup kitchen to serve lunch on Wednesdays. I imagine that at the time they hoped their efforts might be temporary; in the current economy, they could not have been more wrong!
The vision and creativity that surrounded that collaboration continues each week as we prepare to welcome over 250 guests. To see the enthusiasm with which talented Yalies debate over how best to prepare the box of potatoes before them is a unique experience indeed. The most rewarding work though is in witnessing the interactions that take place around this meal: the song requests a student takes as she plays the guitar during lunch, the proud smiles on the faces of the guests as they stand and sing with her, the kids dancing along with the music, the generosity the guests show one another by carrying a cup of steaming soup and sharing a dessert, the mother who let me rock her tiny baby to sleep while she ate lunch - with two hands for a change! All moments that glimpse the extraordinary in the ordinary moments.
We here at Saint Thomas More would like to thank the hundreds of students, faculty, staff, donors and friends whose generosity of time has made this work possible over the course of the last 25 years. In a special way, we would also like to thank all those who have joined us for lunch during that time. The laughter that fills our dining hall each Wednesday could not proclaim more clearly our mission. It has been our profound privilege to have known each and every volunteer and guest who has been a part of this project and we are grateful to you all. Happy 25th anniversary!