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The front doors to the St. John’s Emanuel Church, 1332 S. Third St., were wide open with a line of people — from a young child to senior citizens — wrapped around the steps with the customers patiently waiting to enter the hall. Inside, Bennie and wife Hilda Hudson along with several volunteers are busy placing breads, bananas and other daily essentials on display. A nearby empty table is reserved for winter coat donations. Around 11 a.m. every Tuesday morning, Hilda welcomes all of the guests, instructing them to form a single-file line as they approach the tables where the volunteers help them to fill plastic bags.
“It’s an inner joy you get from doing it,” Hilda Hudson, 60, said of the weekly ministry, which gets support from the church’s Rev. Cornelius Eaddy, who also happens to be her brother.
Before getting the items, each family signs in and writes down how many members it has so Bennie, an alum of Edward Bok High, 1901 S. Ninth St., and Hilda, a grad of South Philadelphia High, 2101 S. Broad St., can keep tabs on the number of people served. An empty bucket is placed at the center of the table for patrons to toss in donations, but it’s not required.
The church has become a second home for the Hudsons, who share 32 years of marital bliss. The Point Breeze residents also give away food 11 a.m. to noon Wednesdays while 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursdays is reserved for providing residents with several pounds of meat.
“We just decided that we wanted to do something to give back to the community,” Bennie, 61, said of the food program that began seven years ago. “A vicar gave us a $500 grant to start it.”
In the beginning Bennie was in charge of the transportation while Hilda and fellow parishioner Celestine “Biddy” Mason ran the ministry, which started out by distributing hot meals on Thursdays. When Mason passed away four years ago, Bennie took on additional responsibilities. With the assistance from Philabundance, 3616 S. Galloway St., the offerings expanded in 2007. Their constant desire for helping hasn’t gone unnoticed by nominator Dolores Collins, who also volunteers.
“[Bennie and Hilda] give so much of their time, and yet if you meet them, they are so cheerful and make everyone around them welcome,” Collins said.
The retired couple spends many afternoons waiting for deliveries and completing the necessary paperwork. Benny, a native of 10th Street and Washington Avenue, previously worked for a metal plant while a party supply company employed Hilda.
Hilda, who grew up at Third and Carpenter streets, stores all of the donated goods in the building’s kitchen area that is equipped with several commercial refrigerators and freezers filled to the brim with cakes, chickens, turkeys, water and countless other items. Philabundance drops off food at the church every week while the Hudsons, of the 1800 block of South 24th Street, also make regular stock-up trips to BJ’s Wholesale Club, Target and Walmart. ShopRite has provided additional financial support through grants.
“The bible teaches us to be servants,” Hilda said. “We serve families. It’s like being Santa Claus on Christmas.”
Contact Editor Bill Gelman at bgelman@southphillyreview.com or ext. 121.
Other 2012 Difference Makers
/ Joe Barbuto / Ella Best / Paul Bryson / Nicole Canale /
/ Jasmaine, Jeannine & Jenielle Cook / Erin Dougherty /
/ Duane Davis / Frank Franzini / Adé Fuqua / Bennie & Hilda Hudson /
/ Ray Innaurato / Ed McBride / Jeannine McGuire / Carrolyn Minggia /
/ Teri Ruiz & Leah Vodila / Jeffrey Rush / Rev. John Stabeno /
/ Marina Stamos / Anne Stanfield-Hagert / Charles Stecker / Megan West /
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