Floridacatholic MIAMI ARCHDIOCESE
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
FLORIDAWWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | August 2019 Catholic MIAMI ARCHDIOCESE CATHOLIC CHARITIES INSIDE THIS ISSUE Guide to Miami’s Festivals and Events Pages 9-12 Program makes dent in the affordable housing crisis A mother and her three children relax on a quiet weekend at New Life Family Center, a Catholic Charities emergency shelter serving homeless families in Miami-Dade County. The families are provided the services they need to move into permanent independent living and self-sufficiency. (PHOTOS BY TOM TRACY | FC) TOM TRACY Florida Catholic correspondent Seminarians MIAMI | Hardly a day goes by look back on that the dilemma of affordable housing isn’t on Evelyn Soto’s a summer mind, especially in the greater of blessings Wynwood neighborhood of Mi- ami, with its trendy Art District Page 2 and its housing redevelopment scene. “This area of Wynwood, with the development going on, is get- ting very expensive to rent in — two blocks down a one bedroom was $1,500 a month,” said Soto, director of the archdiocese’s New A youngster’s artwork hangs on Life Family Center, a Catholic display at the New Life Family Charities program based near Evelyn Soto, director of New Life Family Center, speaks with families Center. downtown. who are provided the services needed to move into permanent New Life sits in a kind of independent living and self-sufficiency. ground zero within the affordable housing crisis in south Florida. It is charged with helping homeless sufficient again. tasked with ending homelessness The focus is getting families families through the process of New Life has 15 small effi- in the county. into housing of their own within what is known in the industry as ciency rooms for a total of 60 And New Life manages to pro- six months of their stay at New In the footsteps “rapid rehousing” — providing residents, so staff are daily field- vide more than just the living es- Life, according to Soto, who said temporary short-term accommo- ing phone calls from a consistent sentials: Regular volunteers and she makes a habit of collect- of St. John dations and later rental assistance trickle of needy families seeking staff offer art therapy, tutoring, ing names and locations of local Paul II Page 18 to people who became homeless a temporary stay. Referrals often academic and family counsel- housing resources that might be because of a crisis and are con- come through the Miami-Dade ing, and field trips that combine sidered capable of becoming self- County Homeless Trust, which is learning with fun. PLEASE SEE HOUSING, 8 2 YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY Florida Catholic August 2019 Seminarians look back on summer of blessings CYNTHIA THUMA Florida Catholic correspondent KEY WEST | Father John Baker, pastor and rector of the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Key West, needed extra hands and needed them fast. Father Baker knows the secret of life in the lower Keys: Despite the fancy fishing boats and mega yachts that dock there, the expensive hotels that draw fun-loving, sun-seeking tourists from all over the world, and palatial waterfront homes that are priced well out of the reach of most folks, many residents of the Keys are not sure where their next meal is coming from. “The amount of need here is just tremendous,” he said. “Monroe The recognition wall at the SOS Callahan Community Kitchen notes County is the third most expensive the contribution of the Archdiocese of Miami, which facilitated a county to live in the United States.” grant from the Jessie Ball Dupont Foundation. The kitchen is an So to help his parish better serve expansion of the outreach programs sponsored by the Basilica of those in need, Father Baker often St. Mary Star of the Sea in Key West. Located behind Key West’s city looks to volunteers in the commu- hall, the kitchen was dedicated in December 2018. nity. And the community usually comes through. The Martha Ministry soup kitch- “We’re an island,” he said. “If we en, another of the church’s outreach don’t help each other, it’s not going programs, serves meals made at the to happen.” community kitchen to clients of the But when his need was especially Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter. great a year ago, the helping hands The food pantry program serves came from a different source — four families throughout the Keys and in seminarians: Franklin Ifeanyichuk- Seminarian Dieutan Marseille helps with food preparation at the 2016 alone, provided families with wu Ekezie, Milton Jose Martinez, SOS Callahan Community Kitchen, one of several outreach programs 1.8 million pounds of food. Sebastian Grisales and Dieutan sponsored by the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Key West. “I enjoyed working at both the Marseille. Now, after completing He was one of four seminarians who helped at the parish ministries Star of the Sea Outreach Mission their service in America’s south- last summer. (COURTESY PHOTOS) food pantry and the SOS Callahan ernmost city, they have had ample Community Kitchen,” said Mar- time to reflect on what the experi- He added that there are also a sig- for children and the elderly at its tinez, who worked for nearly two ence meant to them and what effect nificant number of others struggling SOS Callahan Community Kitchen, decades in the banking industry be- it had on their preparations for the with addictions to drugs and alco- and promoting healthier eating fore deciding to enter the seminary. priesthood. hol. “This church, under the leader- through nutritious prepared meals “I was able to participate with a lov- “It’s always been about service, ship of Father Baker, has come up and nutrition education. ing community that pays it forward, Seminarian Sebastian Grisales and that’s what I think appealed to with a plan to help the people in this The 3,800-square-foot Callahan reaching out to the less fortunate helps with food preparation at the seminarians,” Father Baker said. area with her Star of the Sea Foun- Community Kitchen was dedicated ones. Also, I enjoyed serving in the the SOS Callahan Community “By the service they’ve given, they’re dation, to eradicate hunger and help last December. The $1 million proj- daily and Sunday eucharistic cel- Kitchen. involved. There’s a new generation people to live healthy through her ect was made possible in part by a ebrations at the basilica.” of priests willing to serve.” soup kitchen and food pantry.” grant from the Jessie Ball DuPont Throughout their service in Key the feeding sites. They were able to “It is obvious that Key West is ex- The SOS Foundation, as it is com- Fund, facilitated through the Arch- West, “two seminarians would work see something that could be dupli- pensive,” Ekezie said. “As a little is- monly called, assists the needs of diocese of Miami. in the outreach mission and the cated elsewhere.” land, there are a lot of people in that the community by distributing food Children receive many, but cer- other two would work in the com- What they accomplished, who area who are wealthy as well as the through its network of food pantries tainly not all, of the basilica parish’s munity kitchen,” Father Baker said. they helped and how they felt about poorest of the poor.” in Monroe County, preparing meals services. “We have children on our “It was wondrous, and they enjoyed their contributions left a deep and property 51 of the 52 weeks each it. They worked and toward the end lasting impression. year,” Father Baker said. of their time they were able to go to “My best experience in Key West was being a volunteer to help pro- vide food for summer camp kids and giving out food, clothing and VACATION RENTAL HELP WANTED furniture to the people who need INDEPENDENT SALES REPRESENTATIVE – help at the food pantry located on Root Candles is seeking a sales representative Stock Island,” Ekezie said. “I spent that can engage with customers and prospects six weeks in Key West and I will tell to develop sales opportunities. This individual you from the bottom of my heart, it is will work on the designated geography, building customer rapport, providing superior service and one of the best (experiences) so far.” presenting marketing material of Root Liturgical “My experience working in both Candles. Must be able to grow current business, the Star of the Sea Outreach Mission plus look for acquisition of new accounts along 25% OFF pantry and community kitchen with being able to identify continuous territory positively affected me,” Martinez N.C. GETAWAY, 2,000 SQ FT – Mtn. home w/ improvements and drive efficiencies. Interested of ALL [ to individuals and non-profits. two creeks, 3BR/3Ba., cent. heat/AC, fireplace, candidates please email your résumé to James said. “Today, I can appreciate and LR, fam. rm., laundry rm., satellite TV, fully fur- Turski at [email protected]. Secular businesses, take 10% offHelp Wanted classified be thankful for the many blessings nished. $700/wk., most seasons. 727-376-1498. ads! Add a COLOR photo or logo to your ad for $20 instead continuously granted to me, espe- of $25. FREE posting of your ad on FC website with order. cially for the many blessings that I $28 for first four lines, $5 for each additional line. Add a color take for granted.” Above offers valid only for ads appearing in the Sept. 19 and Oct. 17, 2019 13248-0815 highlight box for $5-$10. Add a color photo for $25. Martinez said he was granted yet issues of the Archdiocese of Miami edition of the Florida Catholic.