The tables are set, glasses are cleaned and the cooks have been preparing the food for days. Today there was a special Christmas dinner on the menu. Stem in Stad, an organization for the homeless in Haarlem, organized the traditional Christmas dinner again. “This is the essence of Christmas after all.”
Christmas dinner at voice in the city – NH News
Stem in de stad, located on the Nieuwe Groenmarkt, is a hospitable approach center for, among others, the homeless. But the center also offers a listening ear to undocumented migrants and offers a hot meal three times a week.
“We’re really trying to have a party”
“We receive many people here who sometimes have less fun in life,” says Joost van den Bogert, pastoral manager of Voice in the city. “And then it’s nice to be able to celebrate together in a way that is accessible to everyone. We really try to have a party.”
gifts
There is a nice menu on the program and there are about fifty people present. But how is all that food paid for? “That happens with donations,” continues Van den Bogert. “So people giving us money to make this happen.”
But Stem has also set up an action together with the Haarlem residents involved.
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In 2019, Lalita van Lamsweerde and Twan Stoelman came up with the light campaign. For example, you could buy a tea light decorated by Erik J. Coolen with a poem written by Bies van Ede. And that yield? It’s all for Christmas dinner, of course.
Transmitting light
“We wanted to do something for vulnerable Haarlemmers then,” says Van Lamsweerde. “In the dark days before Christmas we thought about light, because what could be better than passing on the light.” It was the third time this year that the light action was there and the number of lights has increased from 750 to 1500.
This afternoon there was Christmas in the center of Haarlem for which it is intended. “Yes”, concludes van den Bogert. “Because if Christmas isn’t for the people here, who is it for? This is the core of Christmas to me.”