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Organization
History
The
Samaritan Community turns thirty-eight years old
in 2010. An organization that began as a small
outreach ministry providing emergency food supplies
continues to blossom and grow as a provider of various
services and resources to families and individuals in
crisis. Our structure has changed over the years,
but our overall mission has not.
In
the early l970s, we began as a "Food Closet"
ministry that was started by parishioners of Memorial
Episcopal Church with the encouragement of Memorial's
rector at that time, Barney Farnham. Bags of food
were given to those in need, who were usually referred
to us by other parishes or social services. Within a
few years, we were operating every weekday afternoon,
providing a three-days' supply of food to several thousand
people a year. Today, the Samaritan Community's food
pantry continues to serve this number.
Shortly
after the founding of the emergency food program, another
outreach effort -- the "Minibreakfast" --
was organized. This new program fed members of the Park
Avenue Home on weekday mornings, providing lonely and
disabled elderly people with a form of neighborhood
community. This Minibreakfast program was the precursor
of today's morning support groups.
The food pantry and Minibreakfast programs drew to us
many people with great needs. In order to respond
in a more extensive and permanent fashion, Memorial
Church employed Sharon Krieger as a case manager
in 1983. Besides helping people to get through many
kinds of crises, Sharon started support groups for selected
clients, to promote sharing and mutual support in solving
common problems. "Graduates" often succeed
in remaining free of addiction, living more independently,
and finding permanent employment.
As
our outreach efforts evolved and expanded, broader
sources
of support became necessary. In 1994, First and
Franklin Presbyterian Church joined Memorial to back
the formation of The Samaritan Community as an independent
non-profit corporation. The death of First and Franklin's
outreach leader in 1996 prompted their withdrawal from
active participation in the organization, but during
their two years with us we gained valuable experience
in administering a larger operation. In 1996,
with only one parish "parent," we began to
work hard to increase our support from an expanding
donor community, other congregations, and grants. We
have been successful: these other sources now supply
two-thirds to three-fourths of our budget.
Since
the mid-1990s, we have continued to reach out in new
ways and grow as a community. For example:
In 1997, when a vacant house was donated by a
former Bolton Hill resident, we envisioned creating
an affordable home and building a supportive "family"
of unrelated individuals to live there. The vision was
the easy part, but after two years of planning, consulting,
applying for grants and a loan, and undertaking major
repairs and renovations, our dream came true in the
Samaritan Residence.
In 2001, we employed Susan (Opie) Smeragliuolo to provide
professional counseling and therapy.
In 2002, we adopted new approaches
to the support we offer to families, and engaged in
the Family Support Project.
Our annual benefit events,
Gala Night at the Charles in May and our November
party in Bolton Hill, each draw in the neighborhood
of 100 guests and help to increase community consciousness
of our mission.
Starting in 2007, we have increased
our cooperation and mutual assistance with the outreach
program of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
Making use of a grant
from Memorial Episcopal Church, we hired a planning advisor,
and developed in 2008-9 a Strategic Plan which is guiding
us now and will extend through following years.
We are serving people in more ways than ever before.
Please join us, if you haven't already, to keep us growing
on our firm foundation of material and volunteer support.
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