Meet Chuck and Philip

On a frigid January evening, the kitchen at Agape Dos fills with the smells of a warm home-cooked meal and the chatter of old friends. Steam rises from a pot of gravy that volunteer Philip is stirring on the stove while his husband Chuck sits at the long wooden dining table with Agape Dos resident C. Wearing a vintage Minnesota State Fair hat, C. clearly has plenty of stories to share about his lifetime of experiences in the Twin Cities.

Philip starts placing big dishes of mashed potatoes, pulled pork, and greens on the table and more residents come down the hall to join in for a family-style meal. J. cheerfully shares stories of the dramatic shows she’s been streaming while enjoying a full plate of fresh food and S. gets seconds of mashed potatoes and gravy. Volunteering to cook dinner at a Clare Housing Community Care Home for 15 years has made Chuck and Philip well known, easy-to-talk-to guests.

“We fell in love with the process and the people,” Chuck says about their early experiences. When a friend invited them to help cook at Grace House as a part of the Supper Club volunteer program, it was the perfect way for Chuck and Philip to get more involved. “Philip loves to cook so it fit into his passion, and I love to visit and talk with people, so it fit into my passion as well,” he says, and soon they were giving both time and financial donations as a family. Chuck’s sister and mother have also become donors after he introduced them to Clare’s work, making this an extended family affair.

“Once I learned more about what Clare does, I could really get behind the mission,” Philip adds. Through Supper Club they were able to connect with residents and “see the genuine care staff put forth.”

After a period of helping their friend prepare dinner, Chuck and Philip got their own regular Supper Club shift at Agape Home. As the organization continued to grow and change in response to the needs of people living with HIV, Agape Home closed. Having developed a friendship with J., they “thought it would be nice to keep going wherever she went,” and followed her to Agape Dos. “She refers to us as her favorites,” Chuck says “although maybe she says that to everyone. She always makes a point to come out and join us for dinner.”

Chuck and Philip carefully prepare their monthly meals, tailoring to the needs and tastes of the residents they’ve gotten to know. “They all seem to like southern cooking, so I’ve had to learn to do some southern dishes,” Philip says, describing some favorite dishes he’s brought to the table: fresh coleslaw, buttery cornbread, baked chicken, sweet potato pie and more. “They’re always very gracious,” he continues “I find it very gratifying when they have seconds, J. once used a phrase I’d never heard: ‘you really put your foot in it!’ and she was emphatic that’s a good thing.”

Residents at Clare always have the freedom to choose how they spend their days, and not everyone joins for every meal – but Philip confirms that everyone makes sure to join them for dessert. His sweet potato pie is a house favorite and he’s shared the recipe with us. Chuck and Philip truly represent the generous spirit of Clare supporters who make sure our residents get to have pie and eat it, too.

 

Philip’s Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients
1 pound sweet potato
½ cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
½ cup milk
2 eggs
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
9 inch unbaked pie crust

Directions
1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes until soft. Run cold water over the sweet potato and remove the skin.
2. Puree sweet potato until smooth. Add softened butter and mix well with electric mixer. Add in sugar, milk, eggs, spices, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle then will sink down as it cools.