Page 11 - Ministry of Caring

“I’m in awe of the energy he has and the good deeds that he does,” says Butler.
As a result, he volunteered to cater a recognition banquet. Then he forgot about it. During a leisurely afternoon spent at a local winery, he received a phone call from Ministry of Caring wondering when he would arrive to feed 120 people.
“I called Toscana To Go and told them to get some pasta and salad together as quickly as they could,” he says. “The next day I called Brother Ronald. I was so embarrassed. He said: ‘Don’t give it a thought. I’m going to need you to do this dinner again—for a long time.’”
Indeed, for more than a decade, Butler and Toscana have provided food for recognition events and hosted the consistently sold-out “Tuscan Table,” part of the International Night benefit for Emmanuel Dining Room.
In 1999, the Ministry of Caring recognized Butler’s contributions with a Caring Bowl, an award given to outstanding volunteers. In January 2016, he received the sculpture “Homeless Jesus” by artist Timothy P. Schmalz. The sculpture was a new award given to those who have already received a Caring Bowl and continue to donate time and energy in subsequent years.
For Butler, the reward has been double fold. His mother, Bernadette, was from the Bronx and being with the Bronx-born Brother Ronald gave her immense pleasure. “When he would start laying on that New York accent, it made my mom’s heart skip a beat. She was such a big fan.” When she passed away,
he appreciated the support of the Ministry of Caring’s staff.
Butler is not the only restaurateur in town to step up to Ministry of Caring’s plate. Xavier Teixido of Harry’s Hospitality Group and his team have cooked a dinner for International Night for nearly
30 years.
Chef Dan Butler
doughnuts from a Dunkin’ Donuts and prepares oatmeal.
“I have often been asked for money for food and wondered if
it was really going for food,” McEvoy says. “By volunteering to provide food, I know that people are being fed.”
His bluegrass band, Acoustic Turnpike, has performed fundraising concerts for the Ministry of Caring, and he and his wife have performed at Emmanuel Dining Room during meals. He remembers one diner who was moved by their rendition of John Denver’s “Country Roads.”
“A man came up to us to give us five dollars. He said it was his wife’s favorite song and they played it at their wedding,” McEvoy says. “We were shocked that it affected him so. We didn’t want to offend him by refusing the money so we asked
“We also send food to the Emmanuel Dining Room several times a year,” Teixido says. “The first time that we worked with them, we saw how much they did with
so little and how great the need was. We also saw their commitment to serving all
who came to them with respect and compassion.”
“The first time that we worked with
[the Emmanuel Dining Rooms], we saw how much they did with so little and how great the need was. We also saw their commitment to serving all who came to them with respect and compassion.”
—Xavier Teixido of Harry’s Hospitality Group
him if it was OK to give it to a Capuchin brother to help someone else.”
Volunteers aren’t limited to feeding the hungry. Volunteers are needed to sort donated clothing at Samaritan Outreach, read to children in the child care programs and assist with the senior activities at Sacred Heart Village I
& II and the Francis X.
You needn’t be in the hospitality industry to volunteer in Emmanuel Dining Room. Laypeople are welcome to assist with food preparation and service at the three locations.
Bob McEvoy, a retired salesman and north Wilmington resident, has volunteered at Emmanuel Dining Room every other Wednesday for more than a decade. He picks up
Norton Senior Center. Rest assured that Brother Ronald does not lack for ideas on how the community can pitch in, Butler says. “I usually meet with him, and we figure out a way to get it done.”
Volunteers can choose to help occasionally or on a long-term basis. Civic and corporate groups are welcome. For information, call (302) 652-5523 or email jobs@ministryofcaring.org.
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