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 Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington (SMGW) is one of the organizations St. Thomas' regularly supports throughout the year. A community partnership with offices in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia, SMGW is dedicated to helping the homeless or others in need help themselves to improve their lives. Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington began in 1986 when 11 Episcopal parishes in the Greater Washington area (one of which was St. Thomas') decided to join St. Stephen and the Incarnation in Adams Morgan to do more than just provide emergency assistance to the growing numbers of homeless people and others in need in the city. They believed that they could do more together than they could do as individual parishes and that has proved to be true. With more than 45 Partner Parishes now, Samaritan Ministry has come a long way since its early years. There is still a lot to do - the disparity between the minimum wage and a living wage continues to grow, affordable housing is less and less available to low wage workers, and every year more people lose their jobs and more people become homeless.
SMGW uses the Next Step Program, a unique self-help program, to promote change, dignity and independence in people who are in need. Through this program, they provide employment, social and HIV/AIDS services to close to 1,000 individuals annually and together with support and volunteers from Episcopal churches:
- Promotes awareness of community needs;
- Fosters partnerships at all levels; and
- Breaks down barriers imposed by poverty and develops program participants' abilities to help themselves to better lives.
Every month, Samaritan Ministry helps over 300 homeless or others to improve their lives. On average, three of every four Next Steps are started and finished. Each month 10 to 15 people find jobs with the help of Samaritan Ministry. Many successful former participants refer others to Samaritan Ministry and some return to do volunteer work themselves.
St. Thomas’ has long been involved in SMGW, serving as a Partner Parish since Samaritan Ministry was founded. Several current and former parishioners have served on the board of directors and Kurt Jacobs and Kristin Queen Shaffer currently serve as Partner Parish Representatives on the Partner Parish Council.
To check out more about Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington please see their website http://www.samaritanministry.org/ (from which the pictures and some of the text in this article are taken) or talk to Kristin Queen Shaffer or Kurt Jacobs for ways to get involved.
Updated 11/21/07.
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