NEW YORK — A scene of guests at the St. Francis Breadline more than half a century ago was published in a recent issue of The New York Times.
The Jan. 27, 2009 story, in the business section, is titled “Something to Fear After All: Obama is challenged to surpass the uneven success of Roosevelt.” It shows a photo of hundreds of guests on West 31st Street with a caption, “New Yorkers waited for food in 1934. In the ‘30s, total government spending as a share of the economy was less than 20 percent and the unemployment rate averaged more than 17 percent.”
Michael Carnevale, OFM, the Breadline director, said that the photo seemed to have been taken during the Christmas season.
The St. Francis Breadline began operation in 1930, a year after the stock market crash.
“We are in the process of determining how to commemorate the 80th anniversary, an important milestone,” Michael said, adding that he is discussing the anniversary with Jerome Massimino, OFM, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church.