A New Side of Florence: Working at the Soup Kitchen

Today I went to a soup kitchen that was located just a few minutes away from Gonzaga's campus.  The coordinator had warned me that the people may come across a tad bit harsh and that they don't speak English, but I figured I could handle it, I have 6 siblings so I have pretty thick skin : )  My three days of Italian had definitely given me a false confidence that I could handle the language issue.  Note to self: just because you know how to order a cappuccino does not mean you can understand the damn language.

I arrived there and was thrown in to a mix of other volunteers, mostly the sweet grandmother type.  I want one of them to adopt me.  Or all of them could adopt me, I certainly wouldn't complain.

I threw on an apron, a rare sight indeed, and they looked at me with slight trepidation, and understandably so, due to the fact I was dressed ridiculously (just a skirt and tank top, really should have thought that through, whoops) and clearly I didn't speak Italian.  I apologetically tried to explain "Sono americanna" and that was met with a nod of understanding and little chattering that was undecipherable to my ears.

The meal started and homeless people began to file in.  They were all very polite, and we served them pasta, salad, bread, and fruit.  So yes, the homeless in Italy also get a four course meal, and the regulations in the quality of food guaranteed that the meal would be quality.  

It was overwhelming trying to figure out what the workers wanted me to do, what the homeless people were asking for, and generally what the hell was going on.  I mean, it took me a good twenty minutes to figure out how to pronounce the word green beans, not an easy feat by any means.  The first shift of people had me asking myself, "What the hell did I get myself into?".  I was rushing around and get frustrated at the lack of communication and felt like an idiot for not understanding anything. 

Then all the sudden, everything was okay.  Things started to make a little more sense and I got into the swing of things.  The homeless were all polite and appreciative and not by any means the stereotypical homeless person.  These were all people and all souls and they all had their own stories.  They all had families.  They are sisters, mothers, sons, and fathers.  A few of them actually spoke English and were chatty.

My shift came to an end and I left tired-out (sono stanca) but happy.  This will be a weekly commitment so stay posted for more : )

This experience made me curious about homelessness in Europe.  While traveling, I have come across a fair share of beggars and such, but that seems only natural in areas that bring in tourism.  All in all, I feel as if I haven't seen much homelessness at all, and which I contributed to the socialistic themes found in most European countries as well as a slight lack of tolerance.  After doing a little bit of research I found that there was much more to it than I had thought...

An article in Time, "Down and Out" brought our many issues I was unaware of.  "The safety net is failing some of the most vulnerable sections of European society," says Freek Spinnewijn, FEANTSA's director. "A lot of people are falling through — people with mental-health problems, drug and alcohol problems, and people who have suffered physical and sexual abuse." This makes sense to me, in that I feel this is an over-arching theme found in many societies. 

More specifically, I was interested in the homeless population in Italy.  The article states, "In Italy, only rough sleepers qualify — there are around 17,000 of them, according to the official count."  So, that doesn't take into account all the people who are by all means without a home, or who can't afford to eat, such as the people that I met and saw today.  That number is shockingly low, and I can't imagine that it is realistic at all.

So what causes homelessness in Italy?  The article goes on to say, "Many are homeless because they are discriminated against, in jobs and housing — or simply can't afford Europe's high cost of living."  hmm, makes sense as well.  This also seems to be the cause of homelessness in the United States.  But if people are being taxed 35-58%, as they are in Italy, why can't a society provide for these people?  Therefore, does it come back to the mental health issues?  Is the homeless population here made up more of the mentally ill, those who are unable to function in society?  The article went on to quote Spinnewijn when he says that single women with children make up the majority of homeless families in Europe. "One of the main reasons for the increasing number of homeless families is divorce," says Spinnewijn. "There has been a rise in the number of divorces, and often divorced women with children find it very difficult to have an economically sustainable life."  Once again, shouldn't the state be helping out these women and families?

Unlike my own experience the article states that volunteers routinely encounter hostility, even violence, particularly from rough sleepers. "Those who've been on the streets for years get very uncomfortable when they are suddenly in a confined space, surrounded by lots of people," says Susan Fallis, project manager at a West London hostel, one of several run by the charity Broadway. "They are suspicious and angry, and get put off by even the simplest things."  It would seem the natural response for those who suffer with mental health problems, and simply seems to cement that fact.

Lastly the article brought up the point that social researchers know that "It's not a matter of giving someone several hundred euros a month and expecting them to find a place to live and make a life," says Martin Hirsch, president of Emmaüs France, a voluntary organization that runs shelters and provides housing across the country. "Money isn't enough for people with problems — physical, psychological — who can't take care of themselves."

I couldn't agree more.  There seems to be a marginalized part of society that is so much easier to ignore because I think people have taught themselves to look away, to grumble at their presence, and to brush them off.  That "dirty old man"  is dirty because he has no place to shower where he feels safe, he is old because of the life he was forced to live, and he is in the position he is in because he has no one to be his advocate or the help him get the medical help to work through his mental issues.  Thank God that there are people in this world who take care of people they know who can't handle the world on their own when they fall in the same family, but what about all the people who don't have that family support? Where do they go?  I understand that when the mental hospitals were used in the United States they were corrupt and the people were treated inhumanly.  There were many issues on all levels of management and care, and I don't mean to imply that as being a situation, but I do feel it should be reviewed.

But these people need a place, not only in our hearts, but in society.  So I challenge you (and mom, if you really are the only person who reads this blog, this mean you lol) to step out of your comfort zone and serve some meals at a soup kitchen or simple just say hello when you pass a homeless person on the street.  Realize that these people aren't homeless due to laziness, it is due to bad circumstances or mental illness.  Show the love of Christ.