Teaming Up for Below 10
Two weekends ago, Lisa, our Executive Director, was home on a Saturday night when she got a call from the Executive Director at Bean’s Cafe. Since December 20, it had been running an emergency cold weather shelter, thanks to funding from the Municipality of Anchorage, as back-up to Brother Francis Shelter until April 30. With temperatures in the…
Celebrate Christmas Eve Mass at Brother Francis Shelter
Around Catholic Social Services, everyone knows Deacon Mick, but he seems surprised by that. Sitting at his desk at the Archdiocese of Anchorage, in a dark burgundy, button-up shirt with starched white cuffs and collar, the first question he asked was, “So who recommended you talk to me?” Deacon Mick has spent years dedicated to…
Brother Francis Shelter Changed a Father’s Life, Then a Son’s, and Now a City’s
Jessie sat, hands clasped, at a table in our conference room to talk about his job. He is a caseworker for Path to Independence, a program within Homeless Family Services. He’s been doing that since August. At first, he and his coworker, Wesley, did the legwork to prepare to rapidly rehouse 40 families. Things quickly…
Phillip Found Hope
So many people’s homelessness begins with the death of a loved one. Cancer. Car accident. Suicide. Tragedy can strike us all. The person closest to the deceased is left reeling, and we each cope with grief differently. Phillip’s wife passed in 2010. He looks you in the eyes when he says that. She had a…
Thank You, Wells Fargo!
Today, we received $100,000 from Wells Fargo. We are grateful to have been selected as one of the 50 nonprofits Wells Fargo chose as recipients of their Housing Foundation’s Priority Markets Program. Because of Wells Fargo’s generous support along with the generous support of Weidner Apartment Homes, The Rasmuson Foundation, and Cook Inlet Housing Authority,…
Stephanie’s Resilience
Just because something is cliché does not mean it’s false. Stephanie, a former AmeriCorps Homelessness Housing Coordinator, has a smile that lights up a room. It’s no wonder her clients loved working with her. Stephanie joined Catholic Social Services’ team in October 2017, serving out her year in AmeriCorps with us. Although she’s a Cordon Bleu…
A Time for New Beginnings
Wright Picks Up The Pieces Wright, a 66-year-old Navy veteran and retiree, was able to support himself, but after his surgery he fell on hard times. A year ago, Wright walked around without an issue. However, problems from diabetes and habitual drinking caught up to him. His foot began to shake non-stop with throbbing pain,…
One Step At A Time
Murray’s Tired Journey Murray, 59-years-old, is a long-time Alaskan. He’s worked all his life. Most recently as a carpet cleaning technician, cleaning businesses and apartment buildings. The pain in his feet became worse three years ago and stairs became his enemy. “It got so bad I had to tell my feet ‘left foot move,’ and…
Turning Lives Around
Medical Recovery at Brother Francis Shelter People experiencing homelessness typically do not seek or complete medical treatment for many reasons. The addition of the Medical Respite program and expanded primary care services through the Caring Clinic at Brother Francis Shelter allows us to be proactive in preventing treatable conditions from becoming an emergency.
New Space for Medical Recovery at Brother Francis Shelter
Healthcare and Homelessness Partnership Anchorage — Catholic Social Services honors the groundbreaking partnership with the major Anchorage hospitals along with community and city partners who have come together to work on ending homelessness.