By Jessica Easthope
Dozens are welcomed by the North Brooklyn Angels to a community Thanksgiving meal, their empty cups ready to be filled.
They arrive tired, weak, hungry, some with a lot on their plates. It takes a lot to stuff down the worry because simple, filling meals are out of reach for many in this area. But the North Brooklyn Angels are stringing together moments of hope.
“We are the people for the people here, right? We are the people that are bringing joy in and filling needs and have a meal that they wouldn’t otherwise have because they don’t have the means or the place to do so,” said Jonathan McKenna, board member of North Brooklyn Angels.
Inside the community meal there’s a mix: old and young in need. The North Brooklyn Angels have become a staple in the community. Full stomachs are the mission; the smiles are the gravy on top. Showing up for this community is their bread and butter.
“We want to make this a really joyous and dignified experience. If people come to us, we give them food,” McKenna added.
This Thanksgiving, Stephanie Quiroga and her mom found themselves at one of several community meals hosted by the North Brooklyn Angels.
“My mom and I have been going from place to place, trying to get food. Unfortunately, every time we get there, there’s no more food, they’re out. So we’ve been in search of getting some food for us, but it’s been hard. But with God on our side, everything will be okay,” Stephanie said.
They showed up looking for a hot meal, but found community. No food lines, just family around the table. Something else that’s missing this holiday: the rest of their relatives.
“Especially with ICE raids, my mom’s illegal here, so we can’t travel really anywhere. The rest of my family’s in Ecuador and we only get to see them through a screen and to just feel like an actual hug, a ‘how are you?’ It feels like another family here,” Stephanie shared.
So getting to experience a different kind of FaceTime was the sweetest treat of all. They don’t have wings, but to the people here, the North Brooklyn Angels are the real thing.