- Franciscan Outreach Association
- 1645 W. LeMoyne Street, Chicago, IL 60622
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What's New Archives for
January 6, 2004 to March 30, 2004
For the week of March 30, 2004 -- The Gift of Seeing Clearly
Franciscan Outreach case managers estimate that at least 180 of the 6,000 guests whom we serve in our soup kitchen and shelter each year are in need of eyeglasses. Luckily for them, Nick Benedetto is not only a Case Manager and a Certified Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor. He also a member of the Illinois chapter of Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (“VOSH-IL”).
VOSH-IL
describes itself as “an organization of optometrists and other
interested individuals who are dedicated to providing vision care to
people around the world who have no access to it or can’t
afford it.” Volunteers and VOSH equipment regularly travel to
conduct vision missions in places such as Mexico, the Dominican
Republic,
Swaziland, and Morocco. In the summer months, they stay closer to
home and offer “domestic missions” for those poor individuals who cannot
afford vision care.
Thanks to
Nick's initiative, the VOSH professionals who generously donate their
time, and the support of the Pearle Vision
Foundation
for the cost of the glasses, Franciscan Outreach will be hosting a
domestic mission this summer. One hundred guests will be given eye
exams and eyeglasses at no cost to them.
In the next few months, VOSH-IL
optometrists will train Nick to prescreen our guests. Through
prescreening, we will make sure that we have 100 guests who need glasses
to attain optimum vision. Nick will also be better able to
identify guests who have eye disease for referral to the nurses and/or
medical students who provide weekly services at our program sites.
On the day of the mission, VOSH
Aside from the obvious benefit of better
vision and the improved safety that comes from being able to see what is
going on around oneself, glasses would assist our guests with many of
the tasks ahead of them on their paths toward better lives. For
those who are far-sighted, glasses would make applications for jobs and
services
such
as housing programs, identification, and public aid much less
intimidating, as they could see the questions more clearly. For
those
who are near-sighted, glasses could be
helpful as they work through job training programs, for instance, if
learning to drive and operate construction
vehicles. When working
For the week of March 23, 2004 - Reflections for the Lenten Season
This week, we bring you two reflections on Franciscan Outreach's services and ministry. They come from a wonderful resource entitled A Lent Sourcebook: The Forty Days. The two-volume set, compiled by J. Robert Baker, Evelyn Kaehler, and Peter Mazar, is available from Liturgy Training Publications online at www.ltp.org.
I saw a stranger today.
I put food for him in the eating-place,
And drink in the drinking-place,
And music in the listening-place.
In the Holy Name of the Trinity
He blessed myself and my house,
My goods and my family.
And the lark said in her warble,
Often, often, often
Goes Christ in the stranger's guise
O, oft and oft and oft,
Goes Christ in the stranger's guise.
-- Irish rune
Nowhere does the Torah say, Invite your guest to pray;
but it does tell us to offer a guest food, drink and a bed.
-- Jewish proverb
What better way to provide food and drink to the stranger this Lent than by participating in our ministry? Almsgiving, along with prayer and fasting, is one of the three ancient ways of participating in Lent.
And look! It's 2004 - now you can do your almsgiving over the internet with just a few clicks!
This past weekend, Franciscan Outreach Case Manager Nick Benedetto and his wife (former Franciscan Outreach Full-time Volunteer) Mary received the 2004 Pace e Bene award from the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. "The Pace e Bene award is based on the mission of the Franciscan Sisters, which is to be a transforming presence in society through witnessing the Gospel values of contemplation, compassion, relationship, and joy. Transforming Presence is a way of living the Gospel as both St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi did. Transforming Presence is a way of liberating others and empowering those who are powerless."
As a case manager, Nick (left) has the opportunity to
empower the homeless every day, by providing practical assistance and
connections to resources. In his 11 months with Franciscan
Outreach in 2003, he met with an average of 10 clients each day, helping
change hun
dreds
of lives. He says that "this work has give me a lot of hope.
You work with each person and see progress often measured in tiny steps,
yet there is change." Nick has been able to facilitate change
for even some of our hardest-to-reach guests, individuals who have eaten
at our soup kitchen or stayed at our shelter for years and never opened
up to a case manager. He makes these connections through the
Gospel value of relationship. "I treat the homeless with
dignity and respect and they see that I am genuine. That's very
important--to see the individual person."
Mary Benedetto shares her
husband's
dedication
to serving the powerless in an environment of respect and dignity.
Several years ago, Mary (second from left) sold her house and spent a
year living and working at the Marquard Center as a full-time volunteer.
She continues to work with the homeless population
Sr. Pamela Falter, OSF, our Director of Case Management Services, nominated Nick & Mary for this award. She sees that "their love for each other and for humanity beams from their faces like a light shining in the darkness. This love energizes Mary and Nick and enables them to walk with people who are homeless, discouraged, addicted, and ill. This love is a reflect of God's love for them and for each person whose path they cross." We are very glad that Nick & Mary are a part of our Franciscan Outreach community!
In February, Franciscan Outreach
embarked on a new collaborative relationship. Every Monday
afternoon, a Night Ministry Outreach & Health Ministry staff member
comes to the Marquard Cent
er
to provide free, confidential HIV testing. Our guests are able to
take advantage of recent advances in medical technology and take a
"rapid response" test--one prick of the finger and they get results
within 20 minutes. During those 20 minutes, they receive
information about HIV/AIDS and prevention. They are also given
pre- and post-test counseling and referrals if needed.
We hope to see you
puttering around
at our
Berghoff Dinner
on Friday, March 19, 2004!
To see the invitation, click on it.
Enjoy a night at the historical restaurant
complete with a raffle and a
silent auction (prizes include airfare for two).
Tickets are $45 in advance,
$50 at the door.
Don't forget--save the date for the Spring Benefit Dinner:
Tuesday, May 11 at the Chicago Yacht Club.
When a person has been homeless for 15 years, it can be hard for him to imagine changing his life. Over the past year, however, Nick has shown one of our guests that better things are within reach, working slowly step by step.
This guest is a somewhat off-putting character, rough in appearance and attitude with the body odor that one might expect from someone who has been on the streets for a decade and a half. When working to obtain Social Security benefits, the guest needed Nick to accompany him to the Public Aid office, since he had been kicked out before because of his appearance.
This is the work that our case managers do every day at Franciscan Outreach. With the right assistance and support, lives can be transformed, even after 15 years of homelessness.
If you've been to Franciscan House of Mary & Joseph, you've seen the wall-to-wall beds. You may recall hearing about how on an average night, 98% of those beds are occupied. What does this all mean?
In 2003, Franciscan Outreach provided 89,462 shelter nights at Franciscan House. One shelter night is one night of shelter for one person. This is the largest number of shelter nights for a single year on record at Franciscan Outreach.
Over the more than twenty years since Franciscan House opened its doors, we estimate that we have provided at least 1,667,907 shelter nights under its roof. We estimate that 97% of our shelter guests eat the soup and a sandwich that we provide at night and 97% eat breakfast in the morning. This means that we have served 3,235,739 meals at the shelter during its history! Last year, we served approximately 173,556 meals at the shelter, in addition to the 52,352 served at the Marquard Center.
We have two fun events planned in the next few months.
Mark your calendars!
First will be the Berghoff Dinner on Friday, March 19th. The renovations are complete and we are headed back to the world-famous restaurant to have a good time. This dinner will include a silent auction. Tickets will be $45 in advance and $50 at the door.
Then we will gather for the
Spring Benefit Dinne
May 11th. We will enjoy fine food, a beautiful
view, and the excitement of our annual
raffles.
Tickets will cost $70 in advance and $75 at
the door.
We hope to see you there!
We
are looking ahead to the fall and searching for a different location for
our Fall Benefit Dinner. Do you know anyone who has a restaurant?
Would he or she be interested in helping us help the homeless by giving
us a good deal on holding our event there? Please let Diana know
if the answer is yes, (773) 278-6724
Valentine's Day is approaching quickly.
This year, Franciscan
Outreach is offering you an opportunity to help the homeless and treat
someone you love!
Donate $15 or more and we'll send your loved one this box of candy, with a note from you wishing them a happy Valentine's Day and letting them know that a donation was made in their honor to help the homeless.
Grandparents --- send one to your grandchildren!
Husbands and Wives --- send one to your spouse at work!
Parents --- send one to your college student at school!
Grandchildren --- send one to your grandparents in Florida!
Lovers --- send one to your special Valentine!
Friends -- send one to out-of-town friends!
Brothers & Sisters - send one to your brothers and sisters!
We'll ship anywhere in the U.S.! Make Valentine's Day fun & help the homeless at the same time!
Grandchildren, nieces, nephews, far-away friends, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts--everyone will appreciate knowing that your love for them inspired you to help provide loving support and services to those who need it most.
To send a valentine, email Carin and then make a donation by clicking here. In your email, be sure to say to whom and where you'd like it sent.
You have heard us talk about the importance of being able to take a shower. Do our guests make use of the opportunity provided to them every Monday and Friday? They do. In 2003, guests took 1,274 showers at the Marquard Center.
The guests keep coming back!
As the condos continue to go up all around us,
the Marquard Center Soup Kitchen continues to meet
our guests' real need for good food and sustenance.
In 2003, we served a total of 52,352 complete, nutritious dinners in our Marquard Center Dining Room. On average, we served 143 men, women, and children each night. This average has stayed steady over the past 4 years.
| Average Served | |
| 2000 | 145 |
| 2001 |
144 |
| 2002 | 144 |
| 2003 | 143 |
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