Page 3 - Ministry of Caring

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Laying the Foundation
The Ministry of Caring continues to expand its
services after four decades.
You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. (Isaiah 24:4)
It was 1976, and the world was experiencing a series of disasters. There were earthquakes in China, Guatemala, Honduras and Italy. A tidal wave in the Philippines killed 5,000. In the United States, Hurricane Belle hit the East Coast. But for many people in Wilmington, life’s storms were quietly happening every day. Some, such as a job loss or the death of the family breadwinner, came swiftly. Others, such as drug and alcohol addiction or a family legacy of poverty, had a more gradual effect.
As in the case of any disaster—personal or widespread— sufferers need time and support to help restart their lives. Br. Ronald Giannone, OFM Cap., arrived in Delaware in 1976 determined to address the unmet needs of the poor. In 1977, he discovered that a shelter for homeless women was the greatest unmet need in Delaware. A Capuchin Franciscan friar, the Bronx-born Brother Ronald that year was assigned to the St. Francis Renewal Center in
Letter from Brother Ronald
Each of us faces storms, literally and metaphorically, throughout our lives. For the poor and homeless, who have few resources, these storms can be devastating, unending, and even deadly.
At the Ministry of Caring, our doors are graced daily by men, women and children in search of relief from these storms—they seek the nourishment of a hot meal, the replenishment of a refreshing shower, the simple dignity of a job. Our phones ring with calls from people in crises, living out of cars, hoping to escape abusive situations, seeking many different kinds of help.
And then there are the actual storms. Imagine being homeless and watching the snow pile up. Imagine the heat of summer, having no electricity to power a fan, let alone an air conditioner, and no shower.
We at the Ministry of Caring strive to care for God’s poor, but
north Wilmington. His calling, however, was in downtown Wilmington. He told his superior that he wanted to actively
work with the poor in the areas where they lived. Mary Mother of Hope House, an emergency shelter, opened in 1977, and the Ministry of Caring was born.
Because many factors form the perfect storm of poverty,
the Ministry of Caring over the next four decades has expanded its services. They now include three dining rooms, childcare centers, transitional and permanent housing options, job training and placement, the Pierre Toussaint Dental Office, outreach programs and a distribution center for furniture, supplies and clothing.
The facilities might be in low-income areas, but they contain quality materials and tasteful appointments. Dignity, Giannone maintains, crosses socioeconomic boundaries. All humans deserve respect, regardless of their circumstances.
“The poor should never be treated poorly, but with dignity and respect,” Giannone said years ago, and those words have echoed through the decades in all that the ministry does.
While life is never certain, most would agree that financial and personal storms have become more pervasive in the last 20 years. Budget shortfalls are growing as the need for services soars. Cuts in government spending have put pressure on the Ministry of Caring to make up the difference.
In a season distinguished by stark weather and in a month that celebrates love, help the Ministry of Caring help the poor.
Visit www.ministryofcaring.org.
the reality is the Ministry also faces storms. Budgetary concerns present the very real possibility of painful cuts to services and staff, and shifts in housing policy at the federal level have negatively impacted our transitional housing programs, which are
a key element of our continuum-of-care model of service.
We pray, as we continue our work providing places of refuge and hope for the most vulnerable among us, that the public will continue to support our efforts with renewed passion. The dedication and generosity of our community have made our critical work among the poor possible for 40 years, and we will continue in our mission as long as the need exists.
FEBRUARY 2017 WWW.DELAWARETODAY.COM M3