Newsletter: August 2024

Dear Friends of Joseph House:

The dog days of summer are here, and the heat makes us want to take it easy and dream of the sea breezes down by the beach. But for people who are poor there is no vacation from poverty. Families facing eviction or a utility cut-off, the elderly and infirm needing food or prescriptions filled, men and women who are homeless and suffering outside from the elements — they need a place that is always there for them and doesn’t depend on seasonal funding grants. That place is the Joseph House.

Your support keeps our Crisis Center open during summer’s heat and winter’s cold and all the times in between. Sr. Mary Elizabeth, our founder, understood that not everyone is able to “work in the trenches” and give their time to those in need. That’s why she wanted a partnership between you and us. You provide what we need to help the poor, and we and our volunteers lovingly do the work. Together this way we can all share our love and compassion with our neighbors who are facing desperate situations.

This October will be 20 years since our founder left this earthly life, but she is always with us in spirit. We remember on a daily basis her wisdom. “The problems of poverty cannot be solved overnight,” she once said. “Caring for the poor requires vision and patience. We need to walk with them toward a solution, even if they can move only an inch at a time.”

Vision and Patience. Those are two words that describe Sr. Mary Elizabeth. Another word is Fidelity. She was faithful to God, to her mission and calling, to her community of Little Sisters, to the poor, and all the friends of Joseph House. Fidelity means so much — it means everything in this changing world. It keeps us true to our values and commitments. We work hard to continue what Sr. Mary Elizabeth began, and we are so grateful we can count on you.

For the past few months, referrals from other agencies have been keeping us extra busy. People in need are being told, “Go to Joseph House.” It reminds us of the story from the Old Testament when Pharaoh told the hungry people, “Go to Joseph” (Gen 41:55). And just like back then, the poor will travel any distance when they are running out of hope.

In many respects, Donna, age 58, was a typical visitor to our Crisis Center. She made a 40 mile trek to see us because her electric bill was overdue, and having no means to pay it, her power was going to be cut off. Donna has multiple health problems, which is also true for many of our clients. She has had a heart attack and a stroke and has an inoperable tumor. A fracture in her back will require surgery in order to heal properly. Chronic pain and mobility issues make even simple tasks a challenge. Donna’s fixed income no longer covers the essentials like housing, utilities, and food. Fortunately, we were able to help her with $500 toward her electric bill. That will buy her some time. The poor have no other option but to follow Christ’s counsel in the Gospel: “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Mt 6:34).

Here are some more stories. Herbert, 71, sought help paying his old electric bill in full so he would be able to move into a subsidized apartment building for seniors. Herbert is a veteran and is confined to a wheelchair because his body tremors are uncontrollable. They also impact his ability to speak. His new apartment will bring relief to some of his daily struggles in getting around. The Joseph House assisted Herbert with $519.

Malcolm, 62, came to our Crisis Center because he was feeling overwhelmed and didn’t know where to begin. His washing machine had malfunctioned, flooding his house and leaving his kitchen in ruins. His insurance will pay out only a fraction of what is needed. Meanwhile, he has the care of his wife who has cancer and advanced dementia. The stress of repair bills and medical co-pays was getting to him. Malcolm has suffered heart attacks in the past and he was worried about having another one! One of our Sisters spoke with Malcolm and together they decided that assisting with a mortgage payment would be the best thing to do at the moment. Our budget allowed us to help with $500.

Alyssa, 42, and her husband were living in their car. Alyssa works at a day care, but her husband recently had his third stroke and is not in good shape physically. In fact, Alyssa misses a lot of work because she is afraid to leave him alone. To help this couple move into an apartment as soon as possible, we paid $500 toward the security deposit.

Santiago, 47, was also homeless and living in his broken-down truck. He does have a little scooter in the back, and that enabled him to get a job delivering pizzas. Since the pay is low we helped him with $350 toward the security deposit for an apartment.

Erin, 50, is a recent widow and the mother of three. Her husband was the breadwinner, but now Erin must take over even though she has trouble standing and walking because of injuries sustained in a car accident. Her heart is heavy and filled with anxiety. We were able to help with $400 toward her overdue electric bill.

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Last month was the 50th anniversary of the Little Sisters, and the many good wishes we received made us feel all the more grateful. On July 6, the day before the actual anniversary, we celebrated with our volunteers and staff. We saw old friends and some new faces, watched a DVD of memories and made ice cream sundaes — perfect on a hot day. You can see photos of the festivities here. The Lord is always good to us. We give Him all the glory!

Golf Tournament Announcement: After 18 years, the time has come to retire and discontinue our Annual Golf Tournament. We wish to thank all of the players, volunteers, and sponsors for their generous support over the years.

We owe a special debt of gratitude to the organizing committee whose hard work year after year made the Tournament an outstanding fundraising event. The fact that it will be no more is sad but the reasons are understandable. Please see our Events for more information.

These summer days are precious and we hope you enjoy them in all the ways you like best. Please remember that whether you are home or on vacation, we have prayed for you today. May God bless you.

Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary

Praying for others is a daily part of our lives. Send us your special intentions: Contact Form

The Joseph House depends on free-will contributions. Please consider helping: Donate

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Hi, I’m Sr. Jennifer and I’m a journaler.

I journal spiritually and for self care.

My journey in this religious life has led me to concentrate on sharing my day, good or not-so-good, with the Lord.

I am grateful to the Lord for guiding me through this life of joy and sometimes sorrow. My days are filled with God’s love in all I meet.

Sr. Jennifer professed her final vows with the Little Sisters in 2013.