Newsletter: August 2025
Dear Friends of Joseph House:
God is the Author of life, the only One who can create, but from the very first moment of our existence other people are indispensable.
Pope Leo spoke to this in a homily from earlier this summer:
Dear friends, we received life before we ever desired it. As Pope Francis said: “all of us are sons and daughters, but none of us chose to be born” (Angelus, 1 January 2025). Not only that. As soon as we were born, we needed others in order to live; left to ourselves, we would not have survived. Someone else saved us by caring for us in body and spirit. All of us are alive today thanks to a relationship, a free and freeing relationship of human kindness and mutual care.
Our need for other people continues throughout life. It’s a process of give and take that forms a rhythm: sometimes we give more, and sometimes we need to receive help from others. The balance changes, roles reverse, and we can’t hold on too tightly for the graceful dance of living to go on. The time may come when people who for years gave of themselves without reserve must now slow down and let others tend to their needs. This can be a hard adjustment for anyone, but it is a time to let go and be humble, a time to fully blossom in the life of faith.
These relationships of “human kindness and mutual care” hold the world together. We belong to each other. St Paul said when one member suffers the whole body suffers. Division and a lack of concern have no place in God’s plan (1 Cor 12:24-26).
Our Joseph House ministry extends our circle of care outward to people who have no one else. Their cries for help are heard with love, and we and our volunteers do all that we can to help.
Stacy, 32, came to the Joseph House Crisis Center feeling trapped in a sad situation. She and her husband have three young children, including a newborn. Money was always tight, and everything got worse when Stacy went on unpaid maternity leave from her job. The household couldn’t survive on one income. Soon the inevitable happened, and an eviction notice was posted on the door of their rental.
That same day Stacy’s husband walked out; she doesn’t think he is coming back. Stacy is trying to carry on and provide for her children, but she can’t do it alone. Although she returned to work a week before coming to see us, there was no hope of earning enough money to pay the back rent in time. The Joseph House paid a sizable amount so the struggles of this family would not get exceedingly worse by becoming homeless.
Emmett, 60, is a sweet man but we have no idea how he gets by — it must be through the grace of God. He does not hold a steady job nor does he receive any government assistance. Instead, he does gardening work for $10 an hour, which is enough for his meager needs.
Despite suffering a stroke a year ago, Emmett still tries to look after himself. But his steps are faltering and his hands have become weak and unsteady. The Joseph House paid his past-due electric bill, his one major expense.
Jeanette, 42, has been living with cancer for five years. She gets chemotherapy and is able to work two days a week. Her husband was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. He is still being evaluated to determine the best course of treatment. Working at his job as a truck driver is on hold for now. A teenage daughter completes the family picture. They are all dealing with fear and uncertainty, not least of which are financial concerns regarding the basic necessities. The Joseph House paid a big chunk of their overdue rent.
Health issues drag many into poverty. So do high housing costs. Iris, 50, is fighting a battle with both. She is homebound and confined to a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis. Her rent is taking 74% of her Social Security each month. It took just one high electric bill to destroy her budget and put her in danger of being evicted. A case worker came to see us on behalf of Iris, who was on the phone during the meeting. The Joseph House was able to pay the full amount of the back rent that was due.
Sharon, 39, has two young children. They were all homeless, but luckily found a place to stay in a shelter. Temporarily freed from constantly worrying about her children’s safety, Sharon made good use of her time. She found an affordable place to live and a good job that allows her to work remotely. Before she saved enough money to pay the security deposit, however, her time was up at the shelter. The Joseph House paid what Sharon needed so she and her children made an easy transition to stable, permanent housing.
We don’t just help people through a crisis, we help them pursue their dreams. Abbie studied for a year to earn her high school equivalency diploma. She is disabled, but despite her physical limitations she hopes one day to become a pharmacy tech. Getting her GED was the first step. Abbie needed to pay a $150 course fee to finally get her diploma. The Joseph House paid it, and afterward Abbie stopped by to thank us. She showed us a video of her graduation ceremony, during which she thanked “the nuns” and did a little dance of joy. It was delightful!
We assisted all of these people — and many others — with your contributions. You have our sincere gratitude.
The Joseph House Workshop, another of our ministry sites, prepares men who were homeless to take their next step in life. We will never forget what one of the early directors of the program told us. When asked how will we know when someone is ready to leave, he said, “When they start to give back.”
Giving is a clear sign of growth and maturity. It is the best way to show our gratitude for what we have.
Thank you for being part of the Joseph House. Your prayers and support are essential to our mission of helping the hungry, the homeless, and families in crisis. You give us the freedom to do what needs to be done to make a difference. Every day in our prayers we ask God to bless you.
Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary
Prayer Requests: Send us your special intentions and the Little Sisters will pray for you: Contact Form.
Donations: Your contribution will help people in need: Donate.
Here is a photo of Jen, one of our wonderful volunteers, preparing a bag lunch for a visitor to our Hospitality Room. This is a day shelter for men and women experiencing homelessness. It is located within the Joseph House Crisis Center.
You Can Help
We serve a lot of lunches. Donations of non-perishable and ready-to-eat food items are always appreciated (canned tuna or chicken, peanut butter, etc). Our visitors also request Gatorade when it is hot outside.
We launder clothes for our visitors and also give out new clothing when needed. We typically need men’s T-shirts, especially XL, 2XL, and 3XL, white crew socks, and underwear. Since many of our guests lack proper footwear, we like to give out sneakers. Men’s sizes 10 through 13 are the most commonly requested.
Our current needs also include belts for men, reading glasses, and soap for sensitive skin.
The complete list is at Other Donations.
Donations can be delivered to our convent at 411 Poplar Hill Avenue, Salisbury, MD 21801.