With Thanksgiving Day practically upon us, our lives are consumed with thoughts of tasty morsels like the crispy skin on that 10lb turkey, or the savoring the sweet smell of pumpkin pie gently wafting out of the oven. The day before Thanksgiving Day is one of the busiest times of the year, and whether we’re at home slaving over the stove, or stuck at the airport, almost all of us are all getting ready to celebrate and give thanks. Yet, not all of us are so fortunate. Homelessness in the city has risen to epic proportions (24,000 being children!) and there are many people who don’t have much to thank for this holiday season. One such person was a homeless man whose body was discovered in McGolrick Park two weeks ago.
This past Sunday, Rev. Amy Kienzle held a brief service of remembrance for the homeless man at Mc Golrick Park’s pavilion. While his death was preventable, it hits home because he died right in our own back yard. So tomorrow, as we sit around the table with our family and friends squabbling over the drumstick, we should remember our less fortunate neighbors and give thanks for the basics: food on our plate and the roof over our heads. As we’ve seen, some Greenpointers this Thanksgiving Day might not have it so lucky.
For anyone wanting to do good this Thanksgiving Day, the Church of Ascension is taking on volunteers from 9am to 4:30 pm to feed the hungry.