Cincinnati's Riots: One year later

Tuesday, April 9, 2002

Faces of Over-the-Rhine

Soup kitchen manager
Denise McPherson

Since the April's riots, the number of meals served at the St. Francis Seraph Soup Kitchen has doubled - but director Denise McPherson doesn't blame it on the unrest.

"A year ago, it had dropped off considerably, to 100 or 150 meals," she says in her basement office at St. Francis Seraph School, a landmark for 96 years at Liberty and Vine.

Now they're serving 250-300 free meals at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Ms. McPherson attributes the increase to job losses after Sept. 11, welfare program changes and fall-out from the riots. But she's not sure.

"I don't really know why. We don't ask questions. If they come in, they can eat," she says.

The clientele - half black, half white - has dramatically changed in the past year. Ms. McPherson sees more families, particularly a growing number of Hispanic families with young children, and white men in suit and ties waiting for supper in the school cafeteria.

"White guys dressed up nice do not come to soup kitchens. But we've been seeing them. Maybe they're out looking for a job, and come in here to eat."

Ms. McPherson, 40, is an OTR native who lives in Mount Auburn with her husband, and three children. Her parents still live in Over- the-Rhine.

She says she has never felt unsafe in the neighborhood, but the riots had a devastating impact on the kitchen's two dozen all-white volunteer staff. The elderly, mostly retired volunteers were afraid to come down here, and park down here, she says. For two months, the center stopped serving meals and just handed out sandwiches.

A few of the longtime volunteers have come back. Most have been replaced by younger (age 30-40) white suburban residents or students, she says. The kitchen couldn't exist without help from other communities.

"This is Over-the-Rhine, but we don't have any minority people who volunteer here," says Ms. McPherson, shaking her head. "Our volunteers are white people, suburban people."

-John Kiesewetter