Hi, I’m Chuck “The Baker,” and I’ve marched with God’s Love We Deliver at most of the New York City Heritage of Pride Marches for the past 20 years. Whether a clear cool day, a stormy rainy mess, or a sweltering heat, if we had a parade float or not, we marched on. For me, Pride has always been a fun and beautiful day.
I want to express one thing that has made a true impression on me while marching with God’s Love. For many years, I helped carry the banner with the God’s Love name and message on it. Spectators down the route would strain to try to read our banner as we approached. When they could finally make out our name on the banner an amazing ovation would start. Lots of clapping, hooting, waving and lots of smiles. Some people stood along the street, watching us go, with tears falling down their cheeks. Some people would start shouting out, “You helped my partner!” “You helped my brother,” “Thank you for all that you did for my friend!” and some would just say a simple “Thank You.”
Wow, what an amazing display of people responding to the work we do here every day, providing food to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. We have done this life-affirming work for the past 25 years and we are still going strong. I am so proud to be with God’s Love, I am so proud to march on Pride, and I will keep doing it, even if the banner gets heavier!
So come on and join us on Sunday — have lots of fun and feel more than a little pride in what we accomplish here at God’s Love We Deliver.