Neighborhood Children Help Feed the Homeless

Betty Harris, founder of Betty Harris Homes, Inc.,
poses with Rep. Ronald G. Waters during
Wednesday Feeding of the Homeless.--SUBMITTED PHOTO

Providing food for the less fortunate isn’t uncommon in Philadelphia during the holidays. However, what is uncommon is for children to actually participate in doing so.
This was the case on Wednesday when Southwest Philadelphia resident, Betty Harris, founder of Betty Harris Homes, Inc. took the children from her Southwest community to Center City Philadelphia and distributed hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to the homeless gathered there.

While most efforts to feed the homeless require the homeless to go to a specific area to receive the food, the children and adult volunteers of Betty Harris Homes go where the homeless are, traveling underground at the El station at 15th and Market and visiting Love Park and surrounding areas where the homeless are known to congregate and handing out platters containing turkey, stuffing and other traditional ingredients.

“This is our tenth year of feeding the homeless and what I try to do is to teach the children that there is a better way of life and for the children to see what it is like for the homeless,” said Harris during an interview following the event.
Harris has provided residential services for abused and neglected children for over a decade and, as part of her services, has sought to instruct the children in her care about how to care for others in return. Her annual feeding of the homeless is one way in which she teaches the children, ages 5-17, how to serve others in the community who are less fortunate.
“This is an event that we have been doing for the past ten years and I just thank God for our supporters who help us feed the homeless,” Harris said.
Among such supporters were Pepsi Cola, Brown’s ShopRite, Fresh Grocers, The Philadelphia Phillies and the Urban Affairs Coalition who donated turkey baskets which Harris distributed to families facing tough times due to the poor economy.
Not only did the children in her care help in the preparation and distribution of the food but so did a significant number of children from the community who seem to flock to Harris’ home and participate in the activities she provide for them.
Among them were the members of the Buccaneers Drill who performed their steps as they distributed food.
“The children enjoy going out there to feed the homeless,” she said. “It makes them feel as if they participated in something special by helping someone and I try to get them to do different things to help people.”
Another supporter of Harris’ Thanksgiving feeding of the homeless is West Philadelphia resident and elected official, Ronald G. Waters who joined the children at the Clothes Pin located 15th and Market.
“It feels good to be a part of something as good as what Betty Harris Homes is doing and has been doing when it comes down to people who are in dire straights and who for so many years have been neglected,” Waters said. “Its good, the energy and love that she puts into, we need more people like Betty Harris.”
Waters himself distributes turkeys to those in his community.
Along with local businesses, elected officials and the help of youth and adult volunteers from the area, Harris also received help from the Independent Queens Sports Motorcycle Club based in Wilmington, Delaware.