A port in a storm
story by Jovelle Tamayo
After the lunch rush, John Charcho sweeps and mops the floor of the soup kitchen.
“They need help, so I help,” he says as he works his broom across the cafeteria floor.
Despite pain and swelling in his feet from diabetes, John chipped in on chores after checking into the ACCESS Soup Kitchen and Men’s Shelter in South Frankfort.
He is among the 600 people a year who use ACCESS services, says Andrew Baker, executive director.
“There’s no men’s shelter other than us," Andrew says. "There’s no soup kitchen other than us. We give people a place to volunteer, and hunger is a cause people care about.”
The kitchen, which provides one meal per person daily, opened in 1984 and enlists about 300 volunteers a year. The shelter offers toiletries, clothing and groceries to those who turn up for lunch.
ACCESS gives men who pass through a place to rest, to reflect and to plan their next move.
John’s illness and a separation from his wife landed him at the shelter – something he never thought would happen, he says.
But 17 days after his first night at the men’s shelter, John packed up his belongings from his dorm locker and moved into his own apartment.
“I try to do the best I can,” he says. “It’s all I can do.”
John Charcho receives a meal from ACCESS shelter on his last day at the shelter.
Paul Baughman (from left) and John watch as Samuel McIntosh examines a birthday cake he received from the shelter. The kitchen offers free pastries and produce for anyone who comes for lunch.
John watches as volunteers unload a truckful of food donations from Wal-Mart. Although he suffers from diabetes and leg pain, he still tries to take on shelter chores.
John removes personal items from his locker. He checked out of the shelter 17 days after checking in. "Everyone can come out of this," he says. "But they need to put in an effort."
John walks out of the ACCESS shelter after checking out. He moved into a new apartment that same day.
John fills his air mattress in his new apartment. His diabetes and a separation from his wife landed him at the shelter.
John picks at his first meal in his new apartment. He says he got used to the company and constant interactions at the shelter and will need to adjust to spending time alone again.