New York City, 1930 and PFF

To: Mathews & Taylor, 505 8 th Ave. New York.
Image of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Diamond Jubilee Souvenir.
Postmarked Nov. 8, 1930.

“My Dear Friends: many many thanks for the lovly [sic] donation for our large bread line. We had today 1644 in the morning and 1500 in the afternoon. Respectfully, Brother Gabriel”

This postcard is from Brother Gabriel Mehler, founder of the breadline in 1929.
St. Francis of Assisi Church is at 135-141 West 31st Street, between 7 th and Ave. of the Americas, half a block from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station.

November 1930. It’s been about a year since the 1929 stock market crash. It was in early 1930 that then-President Hoover said “Prosperity is just around the corner.” These are the days of apple-sellers on the streets of New York. And the priests and brothers of St. Francis of Assisi, serving an unimaginable number of people, each day.

From the breadline’s webpage: “The Breadline reassures poor men and women that no matter how bad life gets, we will be there to help them start their day with a meal and a kind word -. every day for as long as it takes them to get back on their feet. Every morning at 7 a.m. we head out onto the sidewalk in front of Saint Francis of Assisi Church to greet about 200 people who line up for a cup of coffee and a couple of sandwiches. Within just a few minutes they disappear into the crowds of commuters rushing by. We don't know where they go, but we know they will be back, and we will be there waiting for them.”

“The Breadline is needed today more than ever, and that is where you can help. For just $15, you can feed a hungry person for an entire week. For $75, you can feed five people for a week. That's a pretty significant accomplishment, and it's something we don't take for granted. We will use whatever you can give us to ease the suffering of those who seek our help.”

This is a view into the past that moves my heart. Consider contributing to the breadline; I did.

viridian