Last week, when I drove up to the Interfaith Nutrition Network soup kitchen on Madison Avenue in Hempstead, there were three men sitting on a concrete stoop across the street. As I entered the parking lot adjacent to the soup kitchen, the men waved. As I got out of the car, one of the men, Mike, called out to me. "Hey, Dave. What's for lunch today?"

I waved back and smiled, but didn't answer Mike's question. Three of the five days that the soup kitchen serves lunch each week, the meals are meatless. Not vegetarian by choice, but by necessity-meat is simply too expensive for the soup kitchen budget. Especially, when you're serving 300-400 hungry guests each day.

But Mike knows when he sees me, that there's a good chance that the lunch is being sponsored by The Caring Community, and he might get roasted chicken, Salisbury steak, or even meatballs and spaghetti.

Some days when I get to the soup kitchen, there are people lined up outside the building as early as 8:30. Women with baby carriages, men with backpacks, children fidgeting as they wait for the doors to open. For many of our lunch guests, this will be their first meal of the day. For some, it may be their only meal. Which makes it really important that we serve them the best possible meal we can.

Each of the sponsored meals we serve costs $1,200. Besides the fresh meat, we include plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and tasty desserts. Of course, there's always our world famous chicken noodle soup. After all, no soup kitchen meal could be complete without soup.

If you'd like to be part of The Caring Community and help us provide good, nutritious, hot meals to hungry Long Islanders, please make your check payable to The Interfaith Nutrition Network. Every $25 we receive helps us feed 12 guests. Donations may be mailed to: Dave Golbert, 7 Lee Court West, Great Neck, NY 11024.

To donate food or clothing or for information about volunteering, call 917-418-2451 of email: davegolbert@yahoo.com

As the economy worsens and the cost of everything goes up, more and more people will be depending on the Interfaith Nutrition Network. With your help, we'll be there when they need us most.