From the Church Office: A Home for the Houseless

I received a phone call from a distraught mother first thing Monday morning. Her adult son has been living on the streets for the past seven years and has a progressive neurological disease that is slowly claiming his physical as well as his mental health. She told me that she had been trying to bring him home, but he wants his independence. She has tried to get services for him but as an adult, he refuses.

When she asked him how to help him if he won't come home, he told her about All Saints. He told her that he gets a warm meal every Saturday. He mentioned that his new coat came from the St. Francis Clothing Closet. He said that he used the showers and laundry over the summer. He said that All Saints helps him and that she doesn't need to worry about him. But of course, she does.

We can't provide the medical care he needs. We don't have a shelter for him. But this mother wanted us to know that the outreach we have provided has not only helped her son survive living on the streets but has given her some peace of mind. And she is so very grateful to us for that. She then asked how she can support these ministries in her appreciation for us stepping in where she is not allowed.

There are so many holes in our society's safety net, but All Saints offers a patch. We offer a place where people can feel safe and get some of their basic needs met. I thought you should know how you with your time, treasure and talent make All Saints a home for so many who are without.