Dr. Melony Samuels, Founder of The Campaign Against Hunger, Brooklyn
By Matt Williams
Shift Change tells the stories of ordinary people on the frontlines during a transformational period in American life. The goal of this project is to raise funds for Supply Drop Brooklyn, a charitable organization that partners with local restaurants to deliver meals to healthcare workers at affected hospitals. Your help can make a critical difference. Please visit Supply Drop and learn how you can make a contribution. For more information about this project, check out our About page.
Dr. Melony Samuels is the founder and executive director of The Campaign Against Hunger, a community-based service organization in Brooklyn. This is her story.
How has the pandemic changed your view of your profession or your larger community?
I am happy to know that we can serve our community. But I realize that we are still not ready to serve our community. The current climate has shown us that we are really not able to serve to the degree that we would like to as we do not have the proper infrastructure. Something worse can happen. We have to really get back to our legislative officers and let them know that we are willing to work but we do not have the tools to work. We can impact the city, but we do not have the space to work, so it is becoming overwhelming. I fear for my staff, as they are in harm’s way every day serving others. I want to ensure that they are safe. Yes, we have our masks and gloves, but I constantly think about their safety.
And then I think of the families — the families that have never been in line before [and are now] because they have lost their jobs. Many have told us, “Listen, I never thought in my life that I could be lining up waiting for food, after all my years of working.” But this is what it is right now.
What are your hopes for today and the future?
My greatest hope is to wake up tomorrow morning and hear that the curve is flattened and that we are on the road to recovery. I also hope that if another crisis takes place, we will be far more prepared than we were. Something devastating can happen again. We need to be prepared; the city needs to be prepared. We need to look at our broken infrastructure and begin to reinforce and to rebuild. We have to reconstruct our minds and our hearts and know that all of our lives have been altered in one way or another, but we are New Yorkers and we are strong.
As you can imagine, funds are not flowing as they’re supposed to be. And we appreciate the donors that have been sending funding but it has been very difficult. As an organization, when you try to order greens, rice, pasta, and cereal, and you’re told that you have to be on a waiting list or that it’s out of stock, it’s disheartening. It’s one thing to respond in a disaster. At The Campaign Against Hunger, we ensure that the food we provide to families is nutritious so that they can maintain a good immune system. TCAH has been working with the little resources it has, but we are doing phenomenal things. We are impacting lives, saving lives, and still continue to change lives.
How has your life changed since the coronavirus struck?
It’s become doubly stressful trying to make sure 1) that we don’t turn any families away, 2) that my staff is safe, and 3) going home and making sure my family is safe. That’s the part of it that’s always in the back of your mind, making sure that after you’re outside, every family member, every worker and their family is safe. Not just mine. We might not be doctors or nurses but we are providing life-sustaining services just as they are. We are seeing as many or more people as they are. Within a day, we will see 500.
For me, it’s very stressful. I have cried a few times. I have broken down and cried when I hear my fellow New Yorkers have died. I have cried when I see the line and hear the calls coming in. It’s not an easy thing. I have to make sure that I can maintain payroll, and that as an organization we can put food on the tables of those who rely on us to feed their families. It’s not easy telling the story; it is very difficult. In my over 20 years of serving vulnerable neighbors, I have never seen the distress I am seeing on faces.
You’ve been doing this for more than two decades. What have you learned in that time that will help you get through this, and help you help others get through it as well?
I’ve learned to treat everyone with respect and dignity. A smile and laughter at times — especially now in this grim time is necessary as we have all been affected in one way or another. Every family that is coming can be assured they’re going to get the best that we can give; we’re not holding anything back. Every family that walks away, we feel a sense of satisfaction knowing they have food for the next few days.
I’ve also learned that people panic when they find out that you don’t have enough chicken or other popular food staples. I’ve also experienced the same panic when we do not have enough food at TCAH to serve families the way we’d like to. However, we assure them we’re doing the best we can and they are getting the best. So, I have learned in devastation like this [you must] make every person feel and know that you care and you’re doing the best that you can.
What are you listening to?
I listen to a lot of Christian and gospel music. There’s a song that says, “Strength like no other.” He says (singing), “Strength like no other, reaches to me. You are my strength, strength like no other.” I just keep humming that. That’s my song [“You Are My Strength”] right now, in this time, it is helping me to go on and continue serving my neighbors.
Visit Supply Drop Brooklyn for more information.
For more information about The Campaign Against Hunger, visit tcahnyc.org.
