St. Anthony's Soup Kitchen Wish List

Yesterday, Rasta Stan, Weathermon, Mi Lady, Star, and Patty volunteered at the St. Anthony's Soup Kitchen. We served breakfast to the school children of Jamaica. After they went to school we spent the next two hours peeling and chopping vegetables and garlic prepping for the next meal. Rasta Stan is still complaining about his thumbs hurting and smells like garlic.

Fun started at 6:45am with the 5 of us taking a route taxi to the kitchen. How do you squeeze 5 passengers into the small vehicle? Put Rasta Stan in the back hatch! He felt every bump and took one for the team.

While we were there we asked Ms. Pearl what items she needed in her kitchen. Here's the list:
Commercial food processor
Pancake flipper
Chef knives
Pot scrubbers
Gallon size baggies/ziplocks
Scouring pads
Egg raiser
Oven mittens
Vegetable peelers
Plastic cutting boards
Dish clothes
Chef aprons
Plastic food storage containers
Large roll plastic wrap
Aluminum foil

Whatever items you can bring down is much appreciated. You can bring the items down and drop them off at the
St. Anthony's soup kitchen just to the left of the roundabout and up the road a bit. You can also drop at the church - St. Mary's Gate of Heaven Catholic Church across from the Coco LaPalm.

It was fun volunteering and they even gave us a sample of the lunch meal they were cooking - brown stewed chicken and rice. Yum!

Hope to return and volunteer at my next visit.

One love,
Your typist and executive assistant, Star
Rasta Stan
Mi Lady
Weathermon
Patty

If you do not have room in your suitcase you can purchase most items in Negril, Mega Mart or Sav. I am also sure they would appreciate a money donation as well. Bless you all for volunteering at the soup kitchen...it definately is a humbling experience.

Awww:) its great to know tourists are helping! Most of the items you named can also be purchased at the dollar tree or for cheap in places in negril/sav.

Thanks for the list, and I thought I was done shopping :)

I'm curious - what is an egg raiser?

wow, what a wonderful way to volunteer.
Are there other good ways to give a few hours for the children that don't involve getting up before 8a?
who do I reach out to??

OK I have only been away from my 2nd home for 5 days, BUT, I can't figure out what an EGG RAISER is.....please help ;)

Treehouse will donate chef knives. Will drop off Monday morning
Also discarded hotel towel could be used as disposable dish towels or as cleaning towels.
Is a good blender needed or food processor?
Need any pasta?
Also I have chef uniforms? Need those no aprons
Thank you for volunteering
Gail Jackson

Nice going Rasta Stan, let me know next year and I'll join you, miss you guys.

Thanks Rasta Stan, Patty, Star, MiLady and Weathermon! Sorry I missed you at the Kitchen! Ms. Pearl filled me in and the ladies--and Monday--were happy to have you there. Thanks for the kindness! And Rasta Stan, thanks for taking one for the team. you guys are very Jamaican--5 in a taxi! I had 30 in the 15 passanger Hiace once. Vehicles are like jello, there's always room for more! You should see Pearl, Andrea and me in the cab of our little Helix when I carry them home. Talk about taking one for the team! The ladies are thrilled to get anything that can be used in a kitchen.

Gail, we will take the knives and towels. I think they have a blender. They could use a processor--would save lots of dicing and choping. i don't know about the uniforms. Thanks for the offer.

For you lie-a-beds, you can always volunteer at the Kitchen to serve lunch--11 to 1 is a good time. Hopefully you see only a few kids since they are supposed to be in school. Since we support about 40 of them we don't like to see them at lunchtime. Sorry about that!

I'd like to start out by letting folks know this visit to the soup kitchen was set up by Weathermon ,Milady and Star. Patty and I just followed their lead. Thanks to them for allowing us to tag along.
This post was typed by "Star" on all our behalf to bring to light this wonderful group we were lucky enough to meet at St. Anthonys.

Miss Pearl is a hard working loving slave driver who kept us working during our visit, love her bad, bad.
All the ladies made us feel right at home and the joking with them never stopped while we tried to pitch in.
Seeing Debbie from Moon Light Villlas getting the van loaded with kids and how she takes charge was a sight to behold, bless her for all she does for the kids.

Ok, now for the Egg Riser ,lifter thing....lol I think she wants one of those basket type things to go in the pot to lift boiled eggs out of the pot. I hope this helps.
Most items they'd like are small and cheap and can be had a at dollar store. Long handle kitchen ladels, spoons, tongs , like ones used in commercial kitchens, if you know what I mean.

Big up to Gail at Negril Tree House for ALWAYS pitching in when there is a need, bless you.
I'm hoping to finally meet Gail after over ten years of her helping us do a few things over the years. Every time I've tried to meet her she was off the island and I think I have her now ....lol Going to a wedding at the Negril Tree House on Saturday.
If you stop at Mega Mart or any large retail outlet in Jamaica, they should have most items.

The number one thing the ladies want is a food processer , for food prep. A costly item I know but we are hoping someone might have one they are not using and would donate to them.

Thanks to all who can help and bless up.
Pics soon come, mon

Nice work, thanks!

Thats an excursion I would Pay for. We will do the same on our next reach.

Father Jim this is Ron and Patty, we ate dinner with you at Push Cart about a month back. We hope to be back in Negril within the next month. I am not certain that we will have room for a food processor but sounds like one could be purchased in MOBAY or SAV. We hope to start our monthly financial committment we spoke about in June but perhaps if we are there in May we could start our committment in May with buying the processor? I know the ladies from the kitchen arnt the only ones who would appreciate this device, my bride kept telling me how much something like this would help and help keep her little fingers from getting sore or aromatic from cutting all those veggies and garlic :))).

Gail thanks for all you do for the people of Negril and thank you all for your continued support of these worthy endeavors.

P.S. to Gail--yes we do use pasta! One of my parishioners calls me "pasta." She has a funny accent! Do we have a definitive answer on what an egg reaiser is? --Fr. Jim

Um just guessing someone who raises chickens that lays eggs ( a chicken raiser) then would donate them? Or maybe a slotted spoon or something that would take the eggs out of pot.

Rastaron, bless you. You Rock.
Thanks for all the nice words and support. The people at the Kitchen will be thrilled, I'm sure.
I guess I have to go back and see Pearl and find out what kind of egg riser she looking for....lol

An egg raiser (I think) is a metal/wire mesh basket that you put your eggs in to lower and lift out of the boiling water; aka a boiling basket.

How much would a food processor cost at MegaMart or wherever? And thanks for the list, Stan. We will again bring what we can. We did the morning shift to in Jan, and it was awe inspiring! Lunch, too. Miss Pearl is wonderful! I love that woman!

Gail at Treehouse - you are awesome! How wonderful of you! I will have to come by for a drink! I hope to meet you! We dropped by in Jan., but just for a quick visit to pick up some jewellery left by a friend. What an awesome bunch of people you are!

I have a great feeling that St Anthony's will get a lot of love over the next week and a half....... Thanks Stan for taking the time to post this as well as give back.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fred Stripe

Thats an excursion I would Pay for. We will do the same on our next reach.

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It's one of the best things you'll do on vacation and it's Free ....lol

In case you are going this is what to look for.

Attachment 25886

This is the inside of the kitchen.

Attachment 25887

Shipping of items to my freight forwarder still an option. I will get it to Jamaica on my dime just email what you are sending for St Anthony's . FYI my cost on film wrap is 12.99 18x 1000 roll and foil 18x 1000 is 36.61US . Thus is the price I pay in Miami if interested.

Bless you Gail for All you do.

Starting the prepacking and final shopping. Trying to pack light, but wanna bring something helpful for St Anthonys.
Cant bring knives in carry on. LOL

Of the items on the original list, which are aren't as easy to buy at reasonable prices in Mo Bay?
Rice, garbage bags, dishcloths, oven mitts, plastic wrap???
Don't want to lug anything that's just as easy to buy there.

How far from the roundabout is St Anthony's?

It is a 5 - 10 min walk up from the Roundabout, almost across from the Taxi depot.

[QUOTE=debitdog;94442]Starting the prepacking and final shopping. Trying to pack light, but wanna bring something helpful for St Anthonys.
Cant bring knives in carry on. LOL

Of the items on the original list, which are aren't as easy to buy at reasonable prices in Mo Bay?
Rice, garbage bags, dishcloths, oven mitts, plastic wrap???
Don't want to lug anything that's just as easy to buy there.

How far from the roundabout is St Anthony's?[/
Yesterday I fulfilled
(3) chef knives (2) oven mits (1) small bag of navy beans (lots) used towels to clean and wipe (1) pan of banana bread from my breakfast line - what a treat and the best part Ms Trudy a recipient there told me to drive safe - RECYCLE REDUCE AND REUSE - GAVE THEM DISCARDED HOTEL LINENS safeAttachment 25919

Glad you put the visual of what to look for. First time we went, we were told to look for a Fryer. At least, I thought it was Fryer. Soup Kitchen. Makes sense a fry pan or something would be their logo. Turns out, you should be looking for FRIAR. Ooops. St. Anthony's. Wrong FRIAR!!! I know it well now, and cannot wait to go see Miss Pearl and the whole crew in June/July!

Everyone was so grateful for our help, especially the peeling and chopping. We must have peeled 40 to 50 bulbs of garlic! We were not bothered by vampires the remainder of our reach.

The kids were so cute in the school uniforms, and mostly not awake, on their way to school in the early AM. As Stan said, Debbie herded the children onto the bus and told them all how much she was proud of them and loved them.

Money would be a good thing to donate as there are more children than funds available for the food and the schooling. My understanding is that the children have to pay to go to school. If there is no money, they don't go. St. Anthony's is helping around 40 children with their morning meal and a ride to school, and the money to go. There is a need for much more. Ask Father Jim how to go about donating so that the money goes where you want it to. OR:

You can donate to www.franciscan.org, go to the donate tab and indicate your intention for your gift in the comment box: St. Anthony's Kitchen - Negril Jamaica or the School program at St. Anthony's Kitchen, Negril Jamaica.

Or send a check to: Fransiscan Friars, Friarworks/Ministry & Mission, 1615 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-6492. Indicate in a note the intention of your gift as above.

Or attend mass at Mary Gate of Heaven Catholic Church on the beach road across from the CoCo LaPalm at 10: AM Sunday morning, or 8 AM Tuesday through Friday and drop some cash in the collection basket.

This is, in my opinion, the most important area we can help in Negril - the kids. Their parents can't afford to send them to school or to feed them in some instances. They will only end up in menial jobs or begging on the beach. How many times have you encountered a young person "selling" candy or just plain asking for money? I know I have each and every reach.

If you love Negril, then give to the children some of that money we bring down to Jamaica and help change our favorite island,

One Child At A Time.

WM

Thank you Weathermon and Milady for including me in this visit to the soup kitchen. It was special and Miss Pearl is a sweet heart.

To everyone who volunteers or who has volunteered thank you so very much. Since we have started to send the children to school you can see the difference in all of them. There is hope and your dollars and donations provide these children with hope. I would not have my day start any other way but to be there straighten them all out and then tell them to have a wonderful day at school and that I love them. I am blessed to have all of them in my life and I thank you all for your generosity...

Thanks to Gail at Tree House! She delivered the chef knives and other goodies to the Kitchen! Thanks, Gail! --Fr. Jim

I know of someone who would like to support one of those school children..but she wont be in Jamaica till the summer. Would it be possile to make some kind of link with someone at St Anthonys to hear if and how this may be possible?? Besides the post here is there a phone number or email address?

If someone wants to volunteer, do we just need to show up, or should we get in touch with someone in advance to let them know? Thanks!

Well this trip flew by. Did not get a chance to visit st anthonys or meet fr Jim, but that's how things go sometimes. Glad I sent a check to the friars before I came down. Gotta give back somehow. Some chop garlic, some bring clothes.

I believe the children are our future. Whitney.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ackee

I know of someone who would like to support one of those school children..but she wont be in Jamaica till the summer. Would it be possile to make some kind of link with someone at St Anthonys to hear if and how this may be possible?? Besides the post here is there a phone number or email address?

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Fr. Jim has posted his contact info on another thread (findable by searching for "St. Anthony's") : If you're planning a trip to Negril, please remember to bring a 'donation' for St. Anthony's Kitchen. If you want to know what's needed most, please contact Fr. Jim at mgh@franciscan.org or call the church at (876) 957-4900.

Mary Gate of Heaven's Web site is http://www.negrilcatholicchurch.catholicweb.com.

Donations can be made online via https://franciscan.org/MAndM/donate.asp - just put in your comment where you want your donation to go.

THANK YOU, writiii!!