One need only tell Donnell Stuart a birth date, and he can immediately recall what day of the week that particular birthday falls on, in any year. Stuart has a unique photographic memory, he can remember an entire calendar after just one look, a skill that has earned him the nickname “Birthday Boy” among his friends.
Stuart volunteered with the Relief Bus outreach program for nine years. The Relief Bus is a mobile resource center that serves the homeless across New York City. According to Stuart, this year the number of homeless people has increased, forcing the Relief Bus to focus primarily on Harlem and the Bronx neighborhood, where Stuart lives.
According to municipal data, about 36,000 homeless people currently live in New York City.
Stuart joined the Relief Bus in January of 2001. A friend from his church suggested Stuart join the organization. “It is better to help people than to stay at home,” Stuart said.
Stuart also volunteers with his church, an activity that often makes him late joining the Relief Bus.
“I help my mom and I help my church,” Stuart said. Stuart hands out money to the homeless and helps to clean the building.
The Relief Bus team visits Harlem twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. A typical day for the volunteers starts at 7 a.m. with the cooking the vegetable-rice soup. The team also serves hot chocolate in the winter and lemonade in the summer.
Stuart spends as little time in this neighborhood as possible. “This neighborhood is bad,” Stuart said. “People here want rob you. A lot of fights take place here.”
As the Bus pulls into Harlem, the team opens the windows and starts serving food to the people who are usually already waiting in line on the sidewalk. Volunteers usually stick around to eat with the homeless make conversation and identify any other needs.
Volunteers can then refer people to the Bus’s on site counselor for more in-depth evaluation. “The Bus helps homeless physically, mentally and spiritually,” Stuart said.
From the Bus office, staff members can place people immediately into various programs with the help of their resource database. These programs can help with job and shelter searches. They can also help those addicted to drugs and alcohol. If necessary, the Bus even has areas where the homeless can take time to pray.
At the end of the day, after the Bus gets back to its home base in Elizabeth, New Jersey its time to clean up.
According to Anthony Mallamaci, the group’s New York outreach coordinator, the Relief Bus is like a “bridge linking those in need to life-changing resources including individuals with time, compassion and funds.”
The organization has become popular with a diverse group of people who want to help people. “We have 5,000 volunteers each year from all over the world,” Mallamaci said.
Commonly in one location for four hours, the Relief Bus can feed 3,000 people on a slow day. On a busy day, that number can grow to 6,000.
“Poor people, they are not subject. They have hearts and they struggle,” Stuart says “and I came here because I can make a difference.”
