Pictured, from left to right: Jennie Papkin (Executive Coordinator), Lindsay Jewett (Volunteer Coordinator), and Jennifer Muniga (Executive Director).

Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published February 15, 2018.

Where are you originally from? 

Lindsay Jewett, Volunteer Coordinator: I’m from Rush. I live in Pittsford now, attended Nazareth and Fisher, and taught in Brighton for awhile.

Jennifer Muniga, Executive Director: I grew up in Wayne County, in Wolcott and attended Keuka College for my undergrad.

Jennie Papkin, Executive Coordinator: I grew up in Pittsford, and left for college, living in a few other cities before finding my way back to Rochester.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

Lindsay: I like the changes of the season. I like the snow, and there are different feelings to each season. You feel like there’s a beginning and an end to things.

Jennie: There’s a community culture here that’s growing, and people are passionate about and proud of living here. There’s so much untapped potential in Rochester; you can easily carve out a place for yourself.

Jennifer: There’s always something to do here. I grew up in the country and now love finding fun things to do for my kids and family in the city.

Do you have any favorite/secret Rochester spots? 

Lindsay: Up by the lake, there’s an area called Summervale, in Irondequoit, with cute little beaches and houses. I’d love to buy a house up there someday!

Jennifer: We love the zoo and always get a membership there. Also, Wegmans! It was one of the first words our daughter could recognize.

Jennie: Starry Nites Cafe is super close to where I live, and I just think it’s the perfect coffee shop. It’s quirky, fun, and unpretentious. More broadly, I live in NOTA and absolutely love it. There are so many restaurants and galleries, and new businesses moving in! You can plan your whole day and never have to get into a car.

What's the most unique or interesting event you've attended in Rochester? 

Lindsay: The tattoo expo every year is a favorite of mine. Everyone there is very chill and accepting, and the whole event is very Rochester-focused. It was founded by Jet of Love Hate.

Jennie: The Brainery Bazaars and all the different craft fairs, like Clothesline, are always fun. And basically any Rochester Cocktail Revival event is a favorite of mine.

Jennifer: Park Ave Fest and Lilac Festival--basically anything outside where you can walk around and enjoy the neighborhoods.

What is your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather? 

Lindsay: I work with kids, and their energy doesn’t change during the winter. It helps keep me energized.

Jennifer: I live close to Ellison Park, so we try to go for hikes and take advantage of being so close to the park.

Jennie: Lots of hot beverages. I also try to find things that are worth going outside for. There are awesome, fun winter events that are definitely worth going out for!

What is your favorite Rochester memory? 

Lindsay: Lilac Festival--it may be cliche, but I have so many pictures of spending time there with my parents over the years. It’s an event that's very unique to us.

Jennifer: The St. Patrick’s Day parade comes to mind. Times spent enjoying all the East End has to offer, with people, bars, and restaurants, are always fun.

Jennie: As a teenager, I remember going from the suburbs to the city to visit Spot and Java’s, and feeling like they were the coolest places in the world. Now they’re part of my daily life.

What makes Rochester unique? 

Lindsay: I think it’s unique how diverse and inclusive we are. We tend to forget how open we are to different things and ideas. Even from the south and the rest of the country! It’s easy to take it for granted.

Jennie: It has such an interesting history. There’s a blend of an industrial past mixed in with its location in a beautiful part of Western New York--you get these old buildings and then a billion parks. You can be a city person or a nature person. There aren’t a lot of places that have that blend. Plus, we have one of the highest rates of volunteerism and philanthropy. It’s really special that people love to give back here; it’s an amazing part of the culture.

What do you think could be improved?

Lindsay: There needs to be more of an understanding of what the city actually looks like. People are kind of oblivious. Perspective-wise, they just don’t understand that there are lots of people in the city with no place to go, no coat, no way to get warm.

Jennifer: Poverty--there’s such a dichotomy between the nice parts of the city and the inner city. Driving in to Cameron from the east side of town really showcases that. Hopefully downtown revitalization efforts will spread to other city neighborhoods too.

Jennie: Lots of folks in Rochester talk about making the city better, but there’s half the city that’s not included, whole neighborhoods that go ignored. For example, there was an effort to turn this neighborhood into Historic Little Italy, but it didn’t get much press or attention. Neighborhoods like this just aren’t on the radar of Rochester’s movers and shakers; we need to include the whole city when we talk about improving it.

If Rochester was a food or drink, what would it be?

Lindsay: It would be a garbage plate, because we’re all mushed together and no one understands us.

Jennifer: Yup, it’s a garbage plate. A mix of everything; a greasy spoon with its own trendiness.

Jennie: I’d say it’s a spiked coffee. We have amazing coffee and cocktail folks, with really strong coffee and cocktail cultures emerging in the city. A spiked coffee is hearty but has a twist of something special.

What is your role at Cameron, and how long have you been with the organization?

Lindsay: I’ve been here for about two years. I’m the Volunteer Coordinator, and I also handle our social media.

Jennifer: I’m the Executive Director; I oversee everything at Cameron. I’ve been here for over seven years.

Jennie: I’m the Executive Coordinator; I take care of all the administrative stuff, in addition to helping with programs and assisting our clients. I’ve been here for four and a half years.

Tell me a little bit about the work Cameron does in the community.

Jennifer: It’s an urban community center with three main programs: feeding people in our soup kitchen and via our emergency food pantry, youth programs for K-6 students after school and all summer, offering academics and exposure to new opportunities, and a clothing house.

How long has Cameron been around for?

Jennifer: Cameron was founded in 1984, so it’s been around for 34 years.

Tell me about the population Cameron serves.

Jennie: We serve anyone who comes to our door. It’s mostly folks that live in the Lyell-Otis neighborhood, where there’s lots of poverty, violence, and addiction. We’ll help everyone from homeless people passing through to families who want to find academic support for their children.

Jennifer: Families tend to turn to us. We’re one of the few soup kitchens in the area that has high chairs for kids to use. It’s a different feel from some of the other soup kitchens in the city.

What's it like to work at Cameron?

Lindsay: Every day is different, and some are more active than others. You learn to roll with the punches. It’s mainly a female organization, so I enjoy that aspect of it as well.

Jennifer: There’s never a day that’s the same as the last. The work is very rewarding. There are always moments of, “This is why I do what I do.” You can really make a difference.

Jennie: I love being at a small community-based organization. We’re able to be innovative in our programming and make changes based on what our clients are asking for. It’s a family and a community; people feel safe and comfortable here. When we get a big delivery of donations, people from the neighborhood will pitch in to help us unload it all. It’s things like that that make Cameron special.

Any favorite memories from your time at Cameron?

Lindsay: Last year during our summer programming, a lot of people showed up. We hung out on the playground, painted, and served food, and there was a real sense of community. We also do a Peace Walk on Lyell Ave every year, and that’s always a great, meaningful event.

Jennifer: The Peace Walk is definitely something special. It started about four years ago because we kept having to pull the kids off the playground every time we got a notification from the RPD about an active shooter in our area. The kids wanted to have a voice and speak out against the violence. The kids have a chance to advocate for themselves in an effort to take the neighborhood back. It happens every year in June, so stay tuned for the 2018 Peace Walk!

Jennie: Every year on Thanksgiving, we serve a meal. A few years ago, I was working on Thanksgiving and a family showed up to volunteer. It turns out, the mom used to come eat here when she was a little kid, and she brought her own children back here now that she’s doing well to show them where she came from and how fortunate they are. It was a full circle moment.

If folks are interested, how can they best get involved and help Cameron?

Lindsay: The best way is to call or email us. I’m the one you’d be talking to, so I’m happy to help connect you to volunteering opportunities! You can also follow us on social (Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram) to see what our needs are at any given time.

Any final thoughts?

Jennifer: We’re such a value to the community, and people often call us a hidden gem. We don’t want to be a hidden gem! We want everyone to know what Cameron has to offer.