What does it look like to love our neighbor? For Kelvin, it’s about meeting an immediate need in his community. Together with the volunteers of East Brooklyn Mutual Aid, an organization he co-founded, they deliver free groceries to neighbors in need.
“Everyone is fighting a battle that you don’t know about. So treat everyone with kindness. Period. That’s it. Love thy neighbor. Treat people the way that you intend to be treated.”
Video Transcript
Kelvin: Hi, this is Kelvin from East Brooklyn Mutual Aid. How are you?
Speaker on phone: Who are you?
Kelvin: Kelvin from East Brooklyn Mutual Aid.
Speaker on phone: I'm fine, and you?
Kelvin: Good. I heard that you have a request for some groceries.
Speaker on phone: Yes, I'd like something.
Kelvin: Okay, no problem.
I love that you tied them together. It's my kale-lettuce look. It's Fashion Week, isn't it?
Volunteer 1: Yeah, it is Fashion Week.
Kelvin: There are a lot of programs where you have to provide all of your income in order for them to help you get food, which I understand you have to allocate funds in a way that makes sense, but folks shouldn't have to go through the wringer to get food. I think if someone said they need food, then that need should be met right away, no questions asked. Period.
Good morning.
Volunteer 2: Hello there, my brother.
Kelvin: Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. How are you?
When I was sick with COVID, I was in bed and I felt like my head was in a fishbowl. I couldn't hear, barely had a voice. And my doorbell rang one day, and I had no idea who it was. And I went to the door and here's the emotion. My neighbors and my family all left groceries for me outside my doorstep. Didn't have money. And then just to see that people cared that much about me meant a lot to me. And that's one of the reasons why I pass it on.
Speaker on phone: Say again, please.
Kelvin: I am calling about the grocery delivery from the pantry.
Speaker on the phone: What day? What day are you coming?
Kelvin: So you'll be home at two o'clock?
Speaker on phone: Yeah.
Kelvin: Okay, no problem.
Speaker on phone: All right. Thank you so much.
Kelvin: You're welcome. I'll see you soon. So I got some lettuce, some cucumbers, onions, apples, carrots, pears, salsa, peanut butter, raspberry jam, mac and cheese, beef stew, green beans, and rice. Feel like I'm missing something. Do we have any meat?
Volunteer 3: No.
Volunteer 4: Meat — what's that?
Volunteer 3: Meat? Meat? It's like a two-month thing we haven't had meat.
Kelvin: Just treat people nice. Treat people better. I'm so tired of people being treated like trash. People don't…You know they say, "Everyone is fighting a battle that you don't know about. So treat everyone with kindness." Period. That's it. Love thy neighbor. Treat people the way that you intend to be treated.
Hi, how are you? They're a little heavy though.
Woman: All right. Carry them all the way to the kitchen for me, please.
Kelvin: Let's take this one up to Miss Amy. Hi.
Miss Amy: Hi. How you doing?
Kelvin: Got some produce for you today.
Miss Amy: Thank you.
Speaker on phone: Yes, I'm home. I just got my key in the door.
Kelvin: Are you still downstairs or you upstairs?
Speaker on phone: No, I'm downstairs.
Kelvin: Okay. Are you wearing a white shirt?
Speaker on phone: Yes.
Kelvin: Okay, I'm pulling up now.
Speaker on phone: All right.
Kelvin: Perfect timing. Look at that. Being able to show up to someone's door and saying, "I have food for you." And seeing that sigh of relief, that joy is like, oh, this is everything that I needed. That's the payoff.
How are you?
Woman: Thank you. Thank you so much, baby.
Kelvin: You are welcome. Take care of yourself.
All right. Perfect timing. That doesn't happen often. She was literally going in the house as we were pulling up. That was great. All right, we are done. That's it. Pack it up. We can go home. All right. Thank you.
