St. Mary's Soup Kitchen - Memphis, Tennessee
St. Mary's Catholic Church Soup Kitchen has been operating continuously since 1870
Joan -
I have been coming here for a month and have coffee in the morning. I'm supposed to be in Byhalia and the police brought me here. I don't know why they took me out of Mississippi, I'm supposed to be registered in Mississippi. They took me to the First United Methodist Church to go to the homeless shelter, but I can't get in. I've got too much luggage, so I've been displaced.
I was at the hub hospitality for a little while, I wanted to go to St. Annes's or the Sisters and find my way to Italy so I can be with the Vatican and study there with the church, I want to study with the church but nobody will take me into sanctuary.
I am living on the street and it is very hard. They kicked me out of the Cedar Haven Baptist House for not attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which is hard because I'm not an alcoholic. They wanted to force me to go to a meeting and because I wouldn't go, they kicked me out...it's very unfortunate.
James - What I do is I pick up scrap cans and stuff. I'll stop by here and get something, because I walk a lot. I come here off and on.
Mark - This place here, this is a lifesaver. What they're doing is a lifesaver. What I mean by that is they help us to be more hopeful. Having that hope everyday keeps us going. They need to build more overpasses, more bridges so we have somewhere to go out of the rain. Wintertime is really hard.
George - I've been coming here for six months, they've been helping me out. I come here practically every day.