Chinese American Association of Minnesota (CAAM) Delivers Love-Filled Chinese Lunch to Homeless Individuals in St. Paul
Reported by the Chinese American Association of Minnesota (CAAM)
On Sunday, November 24, the Minnesota Chinese American Association (CAAM), continuing its tradition of over thirty years, provided a “Pre-Thanksgiving Free Lunch” to the local homeless at the Dorothy Day Place, Catholic Charities in St. Paul, Minnesota’s capital. Nearly 280 homeless individuals enjoyed a warm and delicious Chinese lunch that day.
This heartwarming event was coordinated by Mr. Ping Wang, the president of CAAM. Vice-president Guoqing Li, treasurers Lin Shu and Di Tang, Secretory Qiang Fang, board members Shi Peng, Yanhua Wu, and Gang Ji, along with five dedicated volunteers (Harold Fang, Howard Ji, Paris Peng, Jessica Zhang, and Wenbo Zhang) actively participated and collaborated to make this event possible. The Rose Garden Asian Bistro in Minneapolis specially prepared 300 exquisite Chinese meals for CAAM’s charity event.
As was the case last year, winter arrived relatively late this year. Although it was slightly chilly in St. Paul on Sunday, the sun shone warmly. Around 9:30 AM, CAAM board members and volunteers started arriving at the kitchen of the activity center to begin preparations. In less than an hour, they had prepared a vegetable salad with cabbage and carrots for hundreds of people. Additionally, they prepared apples, bananas, and strawberries for the meal. The volunteers also assisted the kitchen staff in preparing a large number of boiled eggs and roasted pork loin for dinner. Around 10:45 AM, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou, the owners of the Rose Garden Asian Bistro, personally delivered the ordered Chinese meals to the activity center. Everyone then busied themselves with placing the meals in thermal cabinets and preparing meals for the less mobile homeless individuals in the dormitories.
At 11:45 AM, the large, bright dining hall opened its doors, and the homeless individuals lined up to enter. Under the guidance of on-duty staff, they orderly lined up to receive their food, creating a lively and warm atmosphere. The event offered a large number of Sino-Western fusion lunches, including vegetable spring rolls, egg fried rice, shredded chicken noodles, sweet and sour chicken, salad, fruits, and sandwich cookies. Everyone received a large plate of lunch, while milk and orange juice were provided by the charity center in unlimited quantities. Some individuals even approached the volunteers to express their gratitude before leaving, saying, “I like Chinese food. Thank you very much!” “The food was delicious!” “Where is this Chinese Restaurant?” Their satisfied expressions warmed the hearts of all the volunteers, who felt even more enthusiastic about their service.
As the meal distribution neared its end, the cafeteria manager informed us that they need to prepare balanced free meals for these homeless individuals every day to help them through the cold winter. Temporary diners can simply register their lunch and dinner needs during breakfast without any proof. This dynamic daily dining population, especially influenced by weather, poses a challenge for daily food preparation. Fortunately, the center’s cold storage has plenty of various food supplies (mostly donated by the public or food companies), and numerous pre-registered volunteers make preparation manageable.
The Chinese American Association of Minnesota’s provision of love-filled Chinese meals has given homeless individuals in the St. Paul area more delicious choices. Approximately 280 homeless people received these meals. The center’s manager expressed deep gratitude for CAAM’s continuous support over the almost 40 years. President Ping Wang stated that CAAM aims to provide various cultural and educational activities and services to Chinese Americans in Minnesota and other friends interested in Chinese culture, promoting inter-community interaction and mutual assistance. This pre-Thanksgiving meal delivery to the homeless embodies this mission, contributing the love of Chinese Americans to the local community.
