Persistent Hope
Persistent Hope
By Chris Carbone
It was board member Pawnee Biggs who first uttered the name Hope Blooms over twelve years ago. She could not have foreseen the weight and meaning that it would carry all the way to this day; our troubled modern moment, where most of us are waiting with clenched fists and bright ideas. For our neighbors, though, the ramifications are a thousand times more savage.
This evening, however, serves as both a piercing reminder and cool respite of where we are and potentially where we are headed. Like the hearts of the hundreds of folks shuffling in through the front doors to the nOURish Center, the evening is warm. Outside in that heavy June pre-dusk air is Freshie, nOURish’s mascot. He twirls his sign and waves and greets all the attendants like some jester in this court of food justice.
Inside, the hall of the nOURish center is draped in white; white table cloths and white curtains on the periphery as if it were some force field protecting the sanctity of this nOURish BRIDGEPORT tradition. On the stage is a behemoth pallet of diapers; a stark reminder that these are not just hygienic necessity, but an investment in the future of both child and parent alike. Daycares will not take a child without a supply of diapers. If the child can’t be in daycare, the parent has to miss out on school or work to watch them. Diapers are expensive.
You get the picture…
Scattered around the room are large canvas posters of a handful of our volunteers; complete with quotes on why they choose to volunteer their time with nOURish, and what it means to them. These folks are all here tonight. Their presence is a testament to the passion of their words and their actions. They always show up for their neighbors in need.
Yet behind all the nosh and greetings and the displays of solidarity with the food-insecure there is a dread. A feeling; thick as the humidity outside, that the current state of the world may render this the most important fundraiser in the history of this organization. Almost as if in direct defiance of this, Reverend Sara Smith, our President and CEO, takes the podium. The guests all take their seats. Our goal is to reach $700,00. Barrett Communications has generously offered to match everything up to $100,000.
“I want to talk about persistent hope…Now, this kind of hope is not, ‘pie-in-the-sky,’ cross your fingers, and make a wish. This is persistent hope I’m talking about; that small but mighty candle that burns inside each of us…that knows, in spite of everything, we can each make a difference.”
She points her finger at the audience; not accusatory, but as a benevolent force reminding them of the duty of their privilege. “Someone asked me, ‘Reverend Sara, with the tariffs on food, will nOURish scale back?”
Alan Masarek, incoming nOURish board member, shares the stage with Reverend Sara. His presence a symbol of the growth nOURish is and must continue to undergo in order to meet these new and frightening demands. Answering her question, he yells an emphatic NO.
“With the cuts to SNAP, will nOURish cut down on the amount of groceries we give out?” This time, the audience sounds back: NO!
* * *
By the end of the night, we raised over $750,000; the most successful Hope Blooms in nOURish BRIDGEPORT history. This might sound like a cause for immediate celebration. Prancing off into the sunset while waving the checkbook onwards to dance the night away. But no. This is when the real work starts. Bob Marley once said, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. Why should I?” Can we take a day off? Will we take a day off?
No….