Newsletter: November 2025
Dear Friends of Joseph House:
The month of November begins with the Feast of All Saints, followed by the Feast of All Souls the next day. These feast days set the tone for November, making it a time to remember in a special way those who have died.
Among the people we hold close to our hearts, our thoughts and prayers have been with Dave Heininger, the recently departed Director of our Crisis Center. He comes to mind frequently, like for example at two o’clock in the afternoon, the time when he would usually stop by our office at the convent. It’s funny how we could tell it was him entering the front door just from the sound of his footsteps. We would then exchange the news of the day, which would frequently include on his part something humorous. Remembering Dave always makes us smile, which is surely a good indication of a life well lived.
Dave had made his final arrangements well in advance of his passing. He wished to be cremated, and we were honored to hold his remains in our convent chapel in the days before his funeral. He used to joke that one day he was going to become a Little Sister and receive a veil. In a subtle nod to that whimsical desire, we placed one of our veils underneath his urn. Dave’s funeral was at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Salisbury. He was an Army veteran, and military honors were conducted before the mass.
Even though he is gone, Dave is tied forever to the Joseph House: his remains were interred in Parsons Cemetery, as he wanted, in the area designated for our community. He will always be part of the family.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
When Dave first arrived at the Joseph House, he said he would do anything. Sr. Mary Elizabeth promptly put him to work washing the windows!
Dave was capable of much more, of course, and he found his place at the Crisis Center. His passing is the end of an era. It is a time of sadness and loss and unexpected change. In the end, however, we are left with a sense of gratitude. Dave was with us for so long and did so much for us and for so many others. The gift of his presence will never be forgotten.
Our faith is always in God, Who, as Sr. Mary Elizabeth liked to remind us, does everything — He just lets us think we are doing it. God provided for us by sending us Dave, and He will continue to look after our community and ministry. Our service to the needy goes on.
Dave was very good at training volunteers, so we had people ready to step in and take over his responsibilities at the Crisis Center. His final gift was to keep us from having our own crisis! All of our services have continued without interruption. Being open with “business as usual” was a tribute to Dave that he would have liked. Here are a few recent case stories:
Breanna, 23, and her two children were homeless, living in a motel that cost $350 per week. This was a big drain on her paycheck from her job at a chicken plant. In order to keep working, Breanna also has to pay $800 each month for daycare. Despite these financial pressures, she was able to save $500 toward the security deposit for a rental house. It was newly renovated, and Breanna waited months for it to become available. The Joseph House provided an equal number of dollars to enable this family to move into more affordable housing.
Chelsea, 34, has six children. She lost two weeks of work because of car problems. That was a huge setback, and Chelsea was already behind in her bills. She came to the Crisis Center on the day the electricity was going to be turned off in her home. She owed more than $500. The Joseph House paid the bill in full.
Yesenia, 45, has three children. Her husband, who worked as a floor-installer, was deported back to Guatemala. He was the breadwinner for his family. Now Yesenia is alone in trying to take care of their children. Her church gave them food. The Joseph House paid Yesenia’s electric bill.
Janet, 35, was working until her mother, who babysat Janet’s daughter, needed to have both legs amputated. Janet was her primary caregiver in the weeks that followed. Her mother is coping with what happened, and is now managing well enough that Janet was able to start a new job. Since the rent was past-due, the Joseph House sent a payment to the landlord to hold off the threats of eviction.
The beauty and wonder of our ministry is how each person makes a difference in a unique and unrepeatable way. We are grateful for all of our volunteers, past and present. And we are grateful for you, who pray for us and support us. Together we carry on the mission of the Joseph House to be a place of welcome and love for all people in need.
We send our warmest wishes for a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving for you and your loved ones.
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.
Holiday Season Announcements
It’s that time of year again. We need your donations to help make the holidays more joyful for struggling families.
Thanksgiving Food:
Frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving are needed by November 23.
We also need the items for our holiday bags that are given out at both Thanksgiving and Christmas: small bottles of cooking oil, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, assorted seasonings and spices, small bags of flour, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, hot cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, candy canes, aluminum foil, and baking spray.
Other non-perishable food items can be given at any time.
Christmas Gifts:
Christmas toys and gifts (new and unwrapped) for children up to the age of 14 are needed by December 7.
We prefer gifts that do not require batteries, and no toy guns please. We suggest toys that will engage a child’s imagination and encourage physical activity. Some ideas: basketballs, soccer balls, etc., LEGO sets, board games, books, art supplies, crafting kits. Or ask your favorite child!
We also need hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves for children of all ages.
Where to drop off:
All donations can be dropped off at our convent at 411 Poplar Hill Avenue in Salisbury.
Questions? Please call us at 410-742-9590 or send a message: Contact Form. Your help is always appreciated!
This information is also available here: Holiday Giving.
Magi Concert:
This annual concert to benefit the Joseph House and the Christian Shelter will be Saturday, November 22, at 3 p.m. at Emmanuel Church, 217 Beaglin Park Drive in Salisbury.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at The Country House and First Shore Federal Savings & Loan. For more information: magifund.com.