BUY A BOOK .... SAVE A LIFE

Five decades ago Nancy B.B. Meyer began feeding homeless dogs and cats in Rochester's South wedge. She then expanded her mission to the neighborhoods poor, providing hot foot and abundant cheer on holidays at her home.

"I've always felt really connected to animals", said Meyer who credits her escape from a past abusive relationship to a shelter dog she rescued. "I can't say it was a conscious decision (to broaden the focus). I was feeding stray animals and it just spilled over to the people.

Forty-three years later, Meyer's passion for helping the disadvantaged continues to glow. Now known country-wide, her holiday dinners typically attract hundreds of people - from veterans and seniors to college students and the poor.. At her insistence , sermons, judgments and questions are checked at the door.

Even people with near-by relatives are welcome at the meals, Meyer emphasized.

"Just because you have a family doesn't mean that you feel connected. Many people who come to my dinners have family".  said Meyer who now offers the dinners in public places due to space limitations at her home. "People are criticized when they're not with their families on holidays. You don't have to be blood to be family."

Nancy BB Meyer : 585-733-6213/585-889-3453