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On a frigid February day, Chestnut Hill Rotary volunteers brought warmth and nourishment to neighbors in need at Prevention Point Philadelphia, a not-for-profit public health organization in Kensington serving communities affected by drug use and poverty.
Dubbed “Chilli-Fest”—a fitting name with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees—the event featured hot cups of chili and rice, along with cornbread, brownies, yogurt, other snacks, and bottled water. Food was served from a large tent, with rice heated in microwaves and chafing trays, and chili simmered outdoors in massive pots repurposed from the club’s annual Lobster-Fest.
When organizers first announced that the club would make a complete home-made chili dinner for 200 , it was met with some skepticism.
The logistics of gathering the prepared food, transporting it to the Kensington section of Philadelphia, and keeping it hot, were a bit daunting. In addition, frigid temperatures have gripped the area for nearly two weeks, dipping down into the single digits.
“We were definitely concerned as this was new for us,” said Maggie Stoeffel, Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee. “But we worked closely with Prevention Point officials and everything went very well.” Prevention Point provided a heated tent and tables and their staff were on hand to provide information assistance for neighbors.
Rotary volunteers preparing and serving individuals in Kensington.
Chestnut Hill Rotary volunteers are no stranger to preparing and serving food to a large crowd as evident in its annual Lobster Fest fundraiser. The event, which draws nearly 250 people, entails ordering live lobsters flown in from Maine, and then cooked on the spot, and served with side dishes and desserts. Members used that same knowledge to make the chili dinner work including using one of the lobster pots for heating the chili.
Two-dozen Rotary volunteers donated the prepared food and transported and served to people who are experiencing homelessness and substance abuse. Prevention Point Philadelphia, a 30+-year-old organization, is located in the Kensington section of Philadelphia in the heart of the drug crisis. The organization provides an array of programs and services including a low-barrier shelter to a drop-in center for more than 36,000 people each year focused on harm reduction.
“The folks who receive services at Prevention Point are vulnerable and struggling, and they are so grateful for every kindness shown to them.”
Prevention Point Philadelphia was originally founded in 1991 by Act Up in response to the HIV epidemic. Under increasing response and pressure, then Mayor Rendell issued an executive order in 1992 legalizing the possession of syringes in Philadelphia.
“When you go down to Kensington, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and hopeless thinking and we are not going to solve this problem, said Stoeffel. “But what I love about their mission is harm reduction. They keep people alive enough so that they can seek the help they need.”
The chili dinner was the last of a three-part service project for Prevention Point’s clients, which included a Warm Winter Clothing Drive and preparing sandwiches and snacks which were donated in January to celebrate MLK Day of Service. The warm clothing drive yielded six carloads of coats, hats, gloves and sweaters which were distributed to the community.
“The folks who receive services at Prevention Point are vulnerable and struggling, and they are so grateful for every kindness shown to them., said Stoeffel. “It’s a simple yet meaningful gesture to offer someone some delicious food.”
“The human condition for people who have found themselves addicted to drugs is that decision-making and quality of life is completely challenged.”
Kensington is known locally and even nationally for its drug market which leads to the perception that the residents are the primary users. But, according to Ann Ricksecker, Prevention Point’s board chair, “Because it’s become an open-air drug market, it is visited by people all over the region. More than 50% of the people we are serving are not originally from Kensington.”
There are a lot of misconceptions about people who are affected by drug use. “The human condition for people who have found themselves addicted to drugs is that decision-making and quality of life is completely challenged,” says Ricksecker. “Many people believe that they should just stop taking drugs.” But Ricksecker points out that the reasons people are addicted to drugs are “very complex.”
“We would not be able to do what we do without the generous donations of items from agencies like Chestnut Hill Rotary,” said Ricksecker.
“Thanks to assembly-line efficiency, we served nearly 50 people in the first 30 minutes,” said Leslie Shur, Chair, Service Projects Subcommittee. “As word spread through the neighborhood, another 50 neighbors stopped by to enjoy a hot meal and a friendly welcome.”
An over abundance of chili and sides enabled Rotary volunteers to also donate the extra food to Face to Face Germantown for individuals and families in need in Northwest Philadelphia.
