For The Other Guy

Every Friday evening between 6pm and 8pm, a group of people get together in a unique pub in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, NY. Generally coming straight from their jobs, some meeting their significant other, some with their children, they come to unwind after the work week. These are hard-working, good-hearted people. They might have a meal, perhaps drink a beer and they listen to a very spec

ial singer/guitarist, Mary Courtney, perform live for them. Mary weaves a spell every week with her historical ballads, love songs and the occasional sing-along pop hit of years gone by. The atmosphere is one of community and the 50 or so people who are there on an average Friday include a core group of between 10-20 people who faithfully attend to share their week's events and laugh and sing together. It was discovered, quite by chance, that one member of that merry band had been joining a local outreach group every Monday and had been travelling to Manhattan where they handed out sandwiches, juice and sometimes soup to the needy on the streets. This has been going on for quite some time without any fanfare or even a mention. It was mentioned only to remark how hard it was when, on the regular route they followed, the people giving out sandwiches ran out of sandwiches while more people were in line waiting. Upon learning of that, a few of the Friday night regulars decided that, while they couldn't solve all the problems of the world, they could do something to help. So, in November, 2013, every Friday they started throwing a couple of bucks each onto a table in front of the stage, underneath a very small, hand-lettered note that read: "For The Other Guy". That money is then donated to the community outreach program that makes and distributes the sandwiches. Every dollar goes to sandwiches. They have come up with some simple guidelines for this "club":

1. Maximum contribution per week is five bucks per person. - It's not a competition and no one's five bucks is more important than anyone else's.
2. Minimum contribution per week is zero dollars per person. - There are some weeks where it's not simple to give away five bucks. No problem, no issue, no one notices.
3. The money goes to the sandwiches. - Not like pouring a cup of water in the ocean where the difference can't be seen, this puts real sandwiches in the real hands of real people who need them.
4. No soliciting of new members to the club is done. - If someone asks what the note and the money are for, we explain what's happening. Then it's up to them to either nod and say, "That's great" and walk away or say, "Hey, can I join?" And either decision is ok with the club.
5. No politics allowed. - People are in need. Period. Between mid-November, 2013 and January 2014 the club contributed over $450. That may not seem like much, but the cost for the sandwiches (counting the other contributions the group gets) works out to be around .37 (37 cents) each. So, in the first couple of months, the club put over 1,200 sandwiches in the hands of people who need them. Through the rest of 2014, including a benefit linked to St. Patrick's Day we put on at An Beal Bocht, the club has donated over $3,700. That works out to 10,000 sandwiches of the over 40,000 sandwiches that were given out in 2014. As of November, 2015, we've donated over $7,000, for over 18,000 sandwiches. So far. As we get together on a Friday night, in our own small way, we give thanks for what and who we have. The community outreach group: The Aisling Irish Center
http://www.aislingcenter.org/volunteers.html

The cafe: An Beal Bocht
https://www.facebook.com/beal.bocht.9?fref=ts

The performer: Mary Courtney: https://www.facebook.com/MorningStarBand


Feel free to check out the cafe. It's a unique place full of good music, good food, good drink and, most of all, good people. And, perhaps you will be moved to throw a couple of bucks on the table...For The Other Guy (and Gal). An Beal Bocht Cafe
445 W 238th St,
Bronx, NY 10463
(718) 884-7127