Newsletter: February 2026
Dear Friends of Joseph House:
A fountain fed from many springs will never dry up. When we are gone, others will rise in our place.
When we came across this quote from St. Bruno Serunkuma, one of the martyrs of Uganda, we realized it could also apply to the Joseph House. Our ministry has a long history (we reached 60 years this past October) and people from all walks of life have been called to be a part of it. They are the springs that give our work vitality and make it strong.
The landscape of the world is always changing, but the Joseph House remains fresh and responsive because it draws out the best in people. So many faces come to mind in our memories, of people wanting to help, finding their place, making their unique contribution, and then others arriving to take over from them. The panorama of God’s providence is truly amazing.
The fountainhead of the Joseph House is the Gospel, a wellspring that is deep and life-giving. Our work is to put it into practice, to take the words off the page and give them flesh in our loving care for those in need. We have a duty to render the world more just and more livable. With your help, the Joseph House works to make sure the poor are not forgotten, that they receive what is needed to live a secure and dignified life.
To that end, our ministry has two components: the Joseph House Crisis Center, which helps people facing emergencies, and the Joseph House Workshop, which is a long-term residential program for men who were homeless. Here is a quick look at both and what we did last year, thanks to your support.
The Joseph House Crisis Center – 2025 Recap
Our Financial Assistance program issued 2,170 checks and payments to help people in need. We help with any bill as long as it’s essential and the need can be documented: rent, security deposits, emergency motel stays, all types of utilities (electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane, water), prescriptions, medical treatment, dental services, car repairs, etc. When the Crisis Center opened in 1984, it primarily served people in the neighborhood and surrounding areas. Now we receive visitors from across the Delmarva Peninsula because so many are desperate for the basic necessities of life.
The number of people making use of our food ministries is climbing back to pre-pandemic levels. Our Food Pantry gave out a total of 5,283 bags of groceries. On average, about 428 households received food each month. Our Soup Kitchen served 6,752 meals.
Our Hospitality Room (a day shelter for homeless men and women) responded to 5,964 requests for its services, which include showers and laundry. We also give out clothing (shirts, pants, underwear, socks, jackets, shoes), backpacks, sleeping bags, personal care products, and food. Many of our visitors are from a core group of 25 to 30 men and women.
The holiday season was nonstop. We gave out 216 turkeys at Thanksgiving and 1,003 extra bags of food throughout November and December. These bags were in addition to the usual groceries and had items needed for holiday meals (spices, flour, brown sugar, candy, hot chocolate, etc.).
Christmas is about children. Although our other programs (Financial Assistance and Food Pantry) benefit children, at Christmas our efforts are directed toward them in a special way. Children need love, and we help their parents soften the edges of a harsh world in which many of them have to live.
To brighten Christmas morning, 435 gift bags for children were distributed. Each bag was filled with two large gifts, multiple smaller gifts, a book to read, an activity book or game, and something for the cold weather, such as a hat, gloves, scarf, and socks. Plus we made sure parents had enough wrapping paper. In addition, approximately 350 children received new winter coats.
All of the above figures reflect your love and generosity. What we have to share comes from you. In return, we give you our gratitude, our prayers, and our best efforts in serving the poor and anyone experiencing hardship.
The Joseph House Workshop
For 20 years now, the Workshop has been welcoming homeless men and giving them what they need to start new lives. Our program is comprehensive, providing classroom instruction and access to community resources for education, job training, health care, and anything else required.
Most important of all, the Workshop gives our men a safe and healthy place to live, which is the foundation for personal growth and development. Many have gone through years of substance abuse and periods of incarceration. Scars can run deep, and healing begins at the Workshop by treating everyone with respect. For many of the men who participate in the program, this is a new experience, which is sad to say.
The Workshop program has two phases: Phase 1 is classroom-based, and in Phase 2 the residents begin working. At the end of 2025, there were two residents at the Workshop, both in Phase 2. One works at a hospital in the linens department. He is anticipating his next step in life and has begun looking for an apartment of his own. The savings from his job will help him make the transition to independent living. He is also proud (and so are we) of his three years of sobriety.
The other resident works at a large retail store and attends to the parking lot and shopping carts. He recently achieved six months of sobriety, and we are proud of him as well.
Nick, the Director of the Workshop, has been with us for several years. He wanted to share a personal message:
“We all here at the Workshop, employees and residents, want to thank all the donors and volunteers for all that they do for us. Without them we would not be able to do what we do.”
You, dear friend, are one of the many springs essential to the Joseph House. Your love feeds into the good work that gets accomplished. You are making a difference to many, but first and foremost you are being faithful to the Gospel, the only way to live with true hope and bring peace to the world. Thank you for being a partner with us in serving the poor. Our gratitude is from the heart.
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.
Our Gratitude
So many people helped to make Thanksgiving and Christmas a special time for the families and individuals we serve. We are grateful for everyone who made a contribution in any way.
Special thanks to:
Berni Greene and her family (pictured below) who once again organized and coordinated our annual food drive at Thanksgiving. More than 11,900 pounds of food were collected! We also thank Coast Country Radio and Spicer Bros. Construction for sponsoring and promoting the food drive.
We also wanted to acknowledge the past contribution of Jim Greene, who for many years worked alongside his wife Berni in coordinating the food drive. Jim died in June of 2025, and we wish to lift up his memory and pay tribute to all of his hard work and dedication. Berni is continuing the tradition of service with her family. They have our utmost gratitude.
You can read Jim’s obituary here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/salisbury-md/james-jimmy-greene-12438029
Bonnie Luna, the Magi Committee, and all of the performers for another successful Magi Concert. Audience members also donated 1,250 pounds of non-perishable food.
The Knights of Columbus for sponsoring the coat drive and helping with the distribution of coats and toys.
St. Francis de Sales/Holy Redeemer Parish for being so generous during the holidays and throughout the year.
WBOC-TV and the Bless Our Children Campaign for their help with our toy drive.
Our dedicated volunteers, who helped with our toy distribution and the extra demands on our Food Pantry, all the while keeping the other programs of the Crisis Center running at the same time.
On January 1, we prayerfully remembered our former chaplain, Msgr. Dan McGlynn, on the first anniversary of his passing. His wisdom continues to guide us. You can read about Msgr. Dan here: https://thejosephhouse.org/remembering-our-chaplain-msgr-daniel-j-mcglynn/