Casa Maria welcomes those in need of meals
By Kazumi Suzuki
The tired and depressed can find temporary relief at the boundary
between Tucson and South Tucson.
Homeless people come to Casa Maria Free Kitchen, 352 E. 25th St., and
talk over breakfast.
"This is very good for us," said Stewart, who didn't give his last
name.
Stewart, 43, has come to Casa Maria every day for 2 years. He said he
lost his job and became homeless 6 years ago.
When asked how the soup tasted, he said, "Sometimes good."
"Not today's," he added, stirring his styrofoam cup and looking into
it. "No meat. I got a few veggies."
(Photo: Rosemary
Anderson)
Frank Hutchins,volunteer, serves up a cup of soup.
|
Although he himself is on the street, Stewart has negative images of
the homeless.
"(The homeless are) not good people. Alcohols, drugs, and you know. .
."
"Society doesn't take care of us," he continued.
"Companies say to us, 'Go away, we don't need you,' and the whole
society also says to us, 'Go away.' But Casa Maria said to us, 'Come
here."
"There are people who give us help," Stewart said.
Not only the homeless come to Casa Maria, many people from the
neighborhood also come there to pick up free food.
"We serve more than 1,000 people a day. Sometimes 1,500," said Frank
Hutchins, one of the volunteers who helps out at the free kitchen.
A winter visitor to Tucson, who identifies herself only as "Helen," has
been coming to the free kitchen as a volunteer for more than 15 years.
While packing cookies donated by local grocery stores she said, "I'm
interested in helping others. I'm just helping Casa Maria to meet this
large number of people who need food."
However, there are some concerns about relations between Casa Maria and
the surrounding neighborhood because the free kitchen attracts many
homeless people to the area.
Kenneth Seasholes, former president of the Santa Rita Neighborhood
Association, said Casa Maria provides much needed service to the homeless.
"The main concern about the free kitchen is the location of it. It's in
the residential neighborhood," Seasholes said.
He said the services which Casa Maria provides would be better handled
in an area close to or near a mental health facility.
About its location, however, Amy Lawless, 27, who has worked for Casa
Maria for 3 years, has a different opinion. She said it is the place where
the people who need the help live.
"We serve about 250 families. They are from the neighborhood," she
said.
They not only provide the families with free food, the staff of Casa
Maria really cares about its relationship with the neighborhood.
"We make sure that nobody is around here after noon," said Lawless.
She said the staff checks streets to make sure that the homeless do not
hang around the neighborhood.
Also, she said they tell the people who come to Casa Maria not to leave
trash, not to come there with drugs or if or if they have been drinking.
When the staff finds a person under the influence or if there is any
problem, they immediately call the police.
Lawless said the staff works hard to build a good relationship with the
neighborhood.
There are few complaints from residents around Casa Maria.
Aurora Carron, 17, who lives near Casa Maria, said, "I'm used to it."
She said she was shocked to see so many homeless people when she moved
into the neighborhood about 7 years ago. "Casa Maria is doing good
things," Carron said.
Marilyn Chico, director of the South Tucson Housing Authority, said
they have problems with the neighborhood, but they can't blame Casa Maria
or the homeless.
"We have problems with some of the people getting inside our complex,"
Chico said.
She added she can't blame homeless people for any problems because she
feels some problems are caused by people living in the neighborhood or
kids.
"Actually, most (of the homeless) are quite nice. They wander by and
say 'good morning.' If you treat them like real people, they treat you in
the same way."   | 
