Stamford Serves Holiday Breakfast to Immigrants

A Christmas season breakfast this past weekend for day laborers and other recent immigrants supplied more than food. “Desayuno para Jornaleros” (breakfast for workers) also provided phone cards and warm clothing to those at the St. Mary’s Church event. Almost 300 workers, guests and volunteers attended.

“I was happy to see so many people of different cultures and backgrounds get together for a morning of sharing and enjoyment,” said volunteer Catalina Samper-Horak.

This was the second year for the event, which offers a festive holiday celebration to immigrant workers who might feel lonely or isolated because they’ve left family behind to pursue employment away from home. In addition to St. Mary’s, the breakfast was sponsored by CRISOL, Quetzal Group, Stamford Partnership and Neighbors Link Stamford.

The food consisted of traditional Latin American fare, including Mexican atole, Guatemalan tamales and Peruvian pastries. 

In addition, hundreds of warm gloves, hats, scarves and socks were distributed, the result of an Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut appeal to area faith-based groups. Responding were St. Francis Episcopal, First Presbyterian, First Congregational, Zion Lutheran and Turn of River Presbyterian churches, all of Stamford, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church of Darien.

Dozens of coats collected by students at Stamford’s King School were given out. Their counterparts at Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich organized a food drive and gave away 230 shopping bags of groceries.

Some 400 phone cards were donated by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and by Ruth Fellowship, the women’s group of Zion Lutheran Church.

Other community groups, businesses and individuals volunteered their time and provided in-kind donations.

Organizers say the event was an opportunity for Stamford neighbors to socialize with other members of the city’s diverse population during the holidays. “It was a great way to get into the holiday spirit,” said Samper-Horak.

 

What do you think of this event. Please leave a comment below or email Felicia at fhunter@mainstreetconnect.us. 

 

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