LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some residents in Louisville's Algonquin neighborhood want to bring the community together by fighting against food insecurity and poverty.
Families meet at Algonquin Park on Fridays for food, and soon, they'll meet there for the first annual Algonquin Day.
Nestled in between Burwell Avenue and Cypress Street, you'll find Algonquin Park.
A meeting was held on Aug. 19, 2023 to discuss Algonquin Day. (WDRB photo)
"It's special to me because I went there as a child," Sherry Jones said.
Jones now owns Mama Sherry's Kool Treats & More.
"I've got ice cream, milkshakes, hamburgers, and hot nachos," Jones said. "I got it all."
She plans on bringing her food truck to Algonquin Day, an all-day community event for teens and their families.
"They're not only dealing with the Algonquin community, they want to pull in all the community," Jones said.
Algonquin Community United, or ACU, is hosting the event.
On Saturday afternoon they held a meeting at Chef Space to work out the details, music, food, and information booths, including Olmsted Parks Conservancy.
"This is the first year they're doing this, whatever I can do to help volunteer and make it happen and make it a success. I want to I want to do. We're so isolated these days, even after the pandemic, kids playing video games and not having those after school activities, or maybe not being able to participate in those activities. So I think that's just great," Sarah Wolff, with Olmsted Parks Conservancy, said.
"Without God on our sides, it wouldn't be in our hearts to do this," Larry Robinson, with Algonquin Community United, said.
After a year of successful events, ACU decided to do more.
"A lot of it to show, especially the young man out here with the violence and stuff that's going around, that there are young adult men that can be mentors and that's doing the right thing that care about them," Robinson said. "We've seen a disparity in the kids that come around here, like their shoes, or you know, them just getting into trouble and stuff like that. So, we thought that we're here all the time, we can be a positive standpoint in their life."
The group also feeds about 80 kids at Algonquin Park every Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for free. They are looking for more sponsors to donate meals. In the past, Little Caesars and Beef 'O' Brady's have donated food. ACU has also cooked hot dogs and hamburgers.
"They have a point and a safe point," Robinson said. "Where if they in trouble, are they thinking about running away? Are you saying somebody's bothering them, Hey, I know I can go through and Friday and I can have somebody to talk to get something to eat I'm saying and get a lending hand."
Outside at Algonquin Park on Aug. 19, 2023. (WDRB photo)
It's a park that not only connects their neighborhood, but it will soon foster relationships beyond west Louisville.
"So we're just trying to, show them something different within the four or five blocks," Robinson said.
"We never know what those children need," Jones said. "So therefore, we get to know them. You can pull them in and they can let you know what they need, and then help them to bother them last."
Algonquin Day is on Sept. 30 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. They're still looking for volunteers, vendors, and donations.
You can contact them by emailing: Weareacu@gmail.com, or attend their next public brainstorming session. The next meeting is at Chef Space on Sept. 3 at 3 p.m.
ACU is also hosting a free roller skating party on Sept. 9 for adults ages 30 and over. It's from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., near the tennis courts, at Algonquin Park.
For more information, click here for the ACU's Facebook page.
Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
