Today we’d like to introduce you to Spike Enzweiler.
Hi Spike, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in a naturally beautiful and economically diverse community in Northern Kentucky. I graduated Oberlin College with a degree in creative writing, then taught English in Germany for a year. Having found that I wasn’t much of a teacher, and unsure what else to do with my degree, I decided to put in a year with the Episcopal Service Corps and take the time to figure things out. I landed in Northern New Jersey, doing case management at the Hoboken Shelter and supervising St. Matthew Trinity Lunchtime Ministry, a soup kitchen/drop-in center down the street from the shelter. I ended up liking the work and staying at both jobs. It’s been 11.5 years now, which means that I’ve spent about a third of my life at these two jobs.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Working with people is tough, and being in charge of people is tougher. At the shelter, I always work with a partner (the two guys I’m with now, Alan and Ship, are the best in the business, and I wouldn’t trade our evenings together for anything), while at the soup kitchen, I’m the only one in charge. This was very difficult when I started there, as the program was loosely organized, with just a few volunteers working under me. I had to establish myself as the person in charge, come up with a routine and fair rules, and run an industrial kitchen all at once. It took a while, but the volunteer staff grew and more outreach services began visiting our space. The volunteers at the kitchen are as good as it gets: dedicated, caring, and skilled in many different ways.
The pandemic was another setback. For about six months in 2020, we “furloughed” our volunteers and served to-go food only. When we began reopening inside, it took a year for our volunteer crew to grow back to its former size and strength. But now, they’re better than ever. And thank goodness, because guest attendance has also gone up since the pandemic to levels we’ve never seen before. We used to see 40-60 guests a day; now, we often see 100 or more. We host regular art classes, library outreach, haircuts, clothing distributions, welfare outreach, and health screenings. The quality of our meals has also increased, as we receive donations from local restaurants such as Bagels on the Hudson, Johnny Pepperoni, Choc O Pain, and Paris Baguette (all in Hoboken); as well as Whole Foods (Weehawken) and Chick-fil-A (Newport Mall). Our volunteers are great cooks and prepare delicious meals for our guests. At our kitchen, we serve everyone. And that can be a struggle sometimes, as people don’t always get along. But we do our best, and it’s a great place to be. If you’re interested in volunteering and free Monday to Thursday mornings, drop me a line at volunteers@stmatthewtrinity.org.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
During my time at the shelter, I’ve done a number of different jobs: custodial work, case management, reception, and workshop instruction. Whether you’re scrubbing a toilet or teaching a creative-writing class, every job is important, and they often bleed into each other. You’d be surprised at what’s the most memorable and meaningful for people. My friend Liz teaches weekly art classes at the shelter and the kitchen, and many of the guests look forward to them. Music is a gift I’ve been able to share. I play the piano and organ in my spare time, and as a Sunday job; and when we’re closing the kitchen I play something for the guests. This has become a beloved tradition; many guests won’t leave until I play them out.
What’s next?
Who knows? I like what I’m doing now. It’s been fascinating to see so many changes at both of my jobs this past decade. The social-service world can be frustrating and tiring, but it’s certainly never boring.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stmatthewtrinity.org/lunchtime-ministry
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunchtimeministry/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lunchtimeministry
