It was a bleak Saturday morning with heavy winds and rain threatening to take down tents of sleeping and cooking volunteers. Breakfast came out as it always does at 8am thanks to the efforts of the early-risers (who are often also the last to bed doing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen) and by the time we started our day's prep of shredded turkey quesadillas (made by me), hot monster turkey sandwiches (made by Lefty), cheese tortellini with tomato-cream sauce (made by Circus), tuna melts (Tranquil and myself), and pork and ham sliders with bacon (another mouth-watering Lefty creation), the wind was beginning to die down and the sun to come out. We ran around for about 2 hours which is the normal prep time refilling everything for the day. Yesterday we were totally cleaned out of all of our beverages, fruit, and snacks so we had our work cut out for us "refueling" for the day's deliveries. Plus the fact that everything keeps being relocated into different supply tents and no one seems to know where most things are (save for the amazing organizer Pat). Fortunately our crew is well versed in the chaotic morning prep so we all took jobs and got things together as quickly as possible. With a darn-tasty menu, I might add. One of our favorite slogans on the bull-horn is "We are NOT the Red Cross...We have
bacon!"
In the last 24 hours the camp has reduced in volunteers significantly. Those that are here to house-gut and continue efforts into the winter have moved their tent city to a neighbor's property a street away. The firemen have been working on the firehouse and it's close to reopening early this week. People who are helping to keep the kitchen and satellite kitchens running are still here and our last meal will be served by many who arrived just before or after Circus and I on November 6th. So much gratitude for their tireless efforts. I hope you know who you are!
We started our food run this morning in good ol' Union Beach and served a number of our regular families, plus some sizable work crews. Some had just eaten but gladly took hot chocolate - our #1 seller today - and a snickerdoodle cookie. One group from northern Pennsylvania had never had tuna melts before and we convinced about 25 people to try their first tuna melt, which got great reviews! The exciting story of the day happened at our second stop, some folks at the end of a street that was devastated by Sandy; only foundations and pieces of possessions remain on both sides of the street. There was a police blockade which let us through, both of which we're accustomed to, but it was not for the usual reason. A hand grenade was found in the rubble this morning and its condition was unknown. We served our grateful homeowners and moved a few streets over. A police car stopped us and and asked us if there were still people on the street and then peeled off. A few minutes later we heard a muffled "boom!" and just assumed the police had taken care of it. I guess you never know what you'll find! After about 2 hours serving food in Union Beach and catching up with old and new friends, we made a quick stop back at the Firehouse Grill to refill coffee, hot water, and pick up dinner fixins which included pork loin and ham. A big thankful shout out to Victor who keeps us stocked with what's around. Those ended up turning into pork roll and ham sliders with shredded cheese, caramelized onions, and bacon...while it lasted.
Our dinner run began in Keansburg and lasted a good 6 hours. Some stops we'd serve one hungry person and others we'd serve multiple families of 6-10 people. We try to give away bagged lunches, pies, and milk, knowing these folks will be just as cold and hungry tomorrow morning as they are tonight. We finally went to the mobile home community that we visited late last night and unloaded our last MRE's and fleece blankets that the Red Cross trucks gave us earlier in the day, a bunch of turkey quesadillas (aka "wraps"), ham sliders, and bagged lunched. Plus trays of fresh fruit, milk, and OJ. One late-night visitor was celebrating a birthday so we gave her a hot cocoa with fresh whipped cream, some handmade chocolates and sang a little UHungry happy birthday, which lifted our spirits as well as hers. Happy Birthday, Marissa!
Our last stop of the night was in the Highlands neighborhood to a special man named Saint who met the UHungry on the road last week and followed them on his bike. On Thanksgiving he came down to the Firehouse Grill in one of his giant stilt costumes, which is probably how he got the name Stilted Saint. He asked us to drop by tonight and we obliged after we dropped off our last hot meals and pies at a few regular's houses nearby. Saint was dressed up as Santa Clause, riding his bike which was attached to a trailer "sleigh" with Christmas lights and speakers playing a Christmas remix. Our tired crew was lit up his bright spirit, which was necessary since it was nearing 10pm by this point. Although the days are long and sometimes we drive down multiple streets without anyone taking food, when 1 person or family gets to eat a hot meal, maybe their first one all day, because of the UHungry Cafe, it's all worth it. We estimated our delivery service numbers today at 550, plus 50 MRE's, pies, bags of fruits and snacks, hot cocoa and cookies.
More hugs and tears flowed freely and a lot of, "We saw you on TV yesterday!" Most people know us or know of us, but for some it's their first time. One family today exclaimed, "the hot chocolate truck is here!" and other said "we've never had hot food come to our house before." Apparently channel 4 news is a popular channel. Check out the short segment
on facebook which nicely features Circus, Tranquil, and Lefty. There's a short pan of me wearing the magical Thanksgiving hat, a tiger printed cowboy hat we found on the street in perfect condition just after I arrived in NJ again. The stories we hear from people are touching, inspiring, sometimes surprising, but always welcomed. As Circus said to Channel 4, we are part hospitality, part moral wagon, and part grief counseling. We are probably a whole lot of other things to a whole lot of other people, too. My favorite are the locals that we recognize who write a little something on our facebook page. That way we can keep in contact with them after we leave on Tuesday.
Our last run with the UHungry Cafe will either be tomorrow or Monday for lunch. We received word tonight that all of the charges for the UHaul will be reversed. Kudos to Dave Norris for manifesting that miracle! There's talk of another UHungry which would be inaugurated early next week. They may be able to inherited some of the gear we've acquired and our leftover food, but there are many details to sort out in the next 24 hours. If not, we'll return things to their owners, give the food to those staying to continue volunteer efforts and return the truck somewhere near Newark before our flight Tuesday evening. There are a lot of logistics to consider in the next 3 days including getting contact info for people to help organized Holiday care packages and any help we can offer a continuing food truck or kitchen in the Union Beach area.
As for us, it's bedtime. Only a few more nights in the UHaul which I'll speak for both of us when I say won't be missed! Good night from Union Beach NJ heading into the 20th and final days of the Union Firehouse Grill. Much Love <3 br="br">
