Dorothy Day House Needs Our Help with Homeless Families
The following letter was shared with all our Parishes and Missions…the letter is attached in English and Spanish.
Since 2006, the Dorothy Day House has been providing transitional housing for homeless families in the Memphis area who want to make a positive change in their lives. This ministry allows the family to recover from the trauma of homelessness brought on by illness, loss of a job, house fire, etc. The DDH difference is that they keep families together while they recover. They work with them, generally over a five or six month period, to help them re-establish their independence. DDH is thus not only helping the current family, but also future generations as the entire family returns to a stable life.
Although the DDH is not officially a ministry connected with the Diocese of Memphis, its ties with the Catholic community are deep, especially through its leaders and through Dorothy Day and her commitment to the poor.
I am writing to encourage you to find a way to support the Dorothy Day House during the coming months. Here are just a few ideas:
1. Encourage one or more of your parish organizations to adopt the DDH as their charity-of-choice. (Men’s Club, Women’s Club, Young Adults, etc.)
2. Invite the children in your parish/ school to collect food/cleaning supplies/toiletries/money for the DDH.
3. Invite one of the DDH staff members to speak at a parish gathering about Dorothy Day and the ministry of the DDH.
4. Make a donation to the DDH through your St. Vincent de Paul Society or other outreach ministry.
5. Organize a parish day of service for the DDH. (They will take care of the specifics.)
6. Keep Dorothy Day House brochures in your pamphlet racks so that parishioners can easily get information about this vital ministry.
7. Publicize the information sent to you about the Dorothy Day House fundraisers and encourage your parishioners to attend.
8. Arrange for your Pastoral Council to tour one or more of the Dorothy Day Houses.
There are countless ways you can help and, in doing so, you will be helping to keep the ministry of Dorothy Day alive in our midst. She was an amazing Catholic lay woman who was praised by Pope Francis in 2015 when he spoke to the US Congress. She is an American Catholic woman who is currently being considered for canonization. The Dorothy Day House would love to help you tell her story to those you pastor!
For more information, visit the DDH Website (dorothydaymemphis.org). You may also contact Sr. Maureen Griner, Executive Director, at 901-355-8997.
“The mystery of the poor is this: They are Jesus and what we do for them, we do for Him.” –Dorothy Day
