Jan. 29, 2010

Garden City, N.Y. -

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On Thursday January 21, 2010, the Adelphi women's basketball team traveled to the The INN ( Interfaith Nutrition Network) soup kitchen in Hempstead, New York as volunteers to serve the homeless and sort out clothing. The team helped feed 491 homeless people on this day.

"Not everyone knows what homelessness is" said Marilyn who is one of the program coordinators. "Homelessness can be someone who has a home and a job but cannot afford food, lights, and heat There are some people who have places to live, so do not confuse homelessness with not having a place to live".

The INN was founded in 1983 as a single soup kitchen run by a small group of concerned volunteers. Working at a church in Hempstead, the volunteers discovered that not only were there large numbers of hungry people on Long Island, but that individuals working together could make a difference in their lives. The INN became a magnet for individuals who wanted to help those who were hungry in their own communities. By sharing their knowledge, the volunteers began to form an interfaith network of soup kitchens to feed hungry Long Islanders. Today, there are a total of 19 soup kitchens, operating as part of The INNs network across Long Island. More than 5,500 people are fed each week.

"It was an eye opening experience. At the end of the day you realize you should be grateful for all of life's luxuries and  that you should not take them for granted," interim head coach Donna Lohrey said.