Community Kitchen remembers 23 homeless people who have died in Chattanooga

photo The names of local deceased homeless people were placed on empty food trays during lunch at the Community Kitchen on Tuesday. Over 150 homeless were served following a memorial service for 25 area people who died.

Cold rain fell from a gray sky as nearly 200 people gathered Tuesday at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen to remember the 23 homeless people who died here this year.

"This day is a bitter day," Mayor Ron Littlefield said. "The weather never turns like it has turned today where those of us who are in a position of responsibility can't help but think, 'I wonder how the homeless are surviving tonight?'"

Littlefield was among the crowd that gathered at the Community Kitchen and thousands who gathered throughout the nation Tuesday to honor homeless people who perished this year.

The observance always is held on Dec. 21 in conjunction with the winter solstice, marking the first day of winter and the darkest day of the year, said Jens Christensen, the kitchen's assistant director.

Coughs reverberated through the room during the ceremony. Some attendees talked about sore hips that resulted from constant standing and walking.

Some people have said homelessness is not a problem, said Charles Hughes, the Community Kitchen's executive director. But the sobering reality is that people are homeless and it takes a toll on people to live in the elements from day to day, he said.

Ron Fender, an Episcopal monk who works at the kitchen, called the names of the people who had been helped by the Community Kitchen but died this year. Community Kitchen case manager LaDonna Guffy rang a bell after each name, then people in the audience chanted, "We will remember you."

BY THE NUMBERSHomeless deaths in Chattanooga2010 -- 232009 -- 30Source: Chattanooga Community Kitchen

The bell also rang for a kitchen employee who died this year and for the homeless who died unknown.

"I hope people remember that next year the very people we look at could be a name on the list and that they remember to be a little kinder to each other," Fender said.

Igor Anderson Korsov was among the names called. He was a veteran of the Russian Army who came to America when the Soviet Union fell apart, Fender recalled. He started drinking heavily and lived on the streets when his visa ran out and he had nowhere else to go. He died in November, Fender said.

Fender recalled a Christmas that he and Korsov spent together when Korsov lived off Brainerd Road in an abandoned camper behind Big Lots. Fender brought him socks, gloves and candy for Christmas, and Korsov invited Fender in for tea.

"There was barely room for us," Fender said. "And he peeled an orange and sectioned it. And he had little cookies, and he made us tea, and that was his Christmas celebration."

Hunger, pain and suffering are no strangers to anyone at the Community Kitchen, Littlefield said as he looked out over a room full of people.

"We in the city would like to see the day when that [hunger and suffering] is a strange occurrence in our community," he said.

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