John Sheehan, Social Worker at Friday Lunch and Monday Night Hospitality meal programs

Two of the most important programs supported by your donations to the Heart & Soul Fund are the meal services hosted by All Souls Church. 

These programs, Monday night and Friday lunch, operate year round and have been doing so for over three decades.  Together they offer about 35,000 meals each year - even on Holidays - to a large number of regular and transient guests. 

Both of these meal programs have become integral parts of the community on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and together they form the core of our outreach efforts at Heart & Soul. Approximately 300 guests attend each meal every week.

It's a sad fact that the constituency for these services has increased over the years. There are higher numbers overall, and more families are attending. Their needs have increased beyond securing a meal - many of the guests need assistance with housing and health issues for example, or help navigating through the labyrinth of municipal, State, and Federal bureaucracies. To that end a proposal was developed and implemented two years ago to provide a social worker for guests at both Monday night and Friday lunch meal programs.  The results have been outstanding!

Meet John Sheehan, a volunteer and a licensed social worker, who has been providing his skills and expertise at both the Monday and Friday meal programs since 2011.  He refers to the work he does on these occasions as "the desert to the meal." 

John offers his assistance to the guests with no strings attached. It's up to them whether they talk with him or not. He makes himself available during the meals, but doesn't intrude. It often takes a while for a guest to feel comfortable talking to him about their needs. Sometimes they need help simply understanding what benefits and opportunities may be available to them.  Over the months he's been in attendance, John has become a great reference and a true friend.

In the time he has been assisting the meal programs, John has handled issues and requests  ranging from a senior citizen asking  "how can I get a discount  Metrocard?" to helping a Veteran get health benefits and become re-connected with his family.  Housing issues come up a lot, as well as the need for health care. John views a "success" as establishing a relationship with a guest so that he can help in whatever way the guest may need. Sometimes that's a friendly ear, or a cane, or more.

John has over twenty-five years of experience in the field of social work.  He's worked with many groups, and in many situations within the field.  One of his specialties is designing and implementing programs for students with behavioral problems.  We're very proud to have him as part of our team. The dessert he brings is sweet.