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Report On Samaritan House,
Dilworth Rotary Centennial Project
By Tom Holmes
Director for Samaritan House
Samaritan House is a not-for-profit ministry that provides a recuperative care home and safe haven for the homeless when they have been discharged from the hospital.
Let me share some data with you:
• CMC and Presbyterian Hospitals tell us that there are 500-600 homeless individuals that are discharged annually from at least one night stay in the hospital.
• Those hospitals estimate that 85% (425-510) return to their emergency rooms within 30 days because of lack of proper care and recuperation.
• $2,100.00 is the average cost of an overnight stay in the hospital, and this figure does not include salaries for hospital personnel.
• $84.00 is the average cost of an overnight stay at Samaritan House, which does include salaries.
Hopefully, these few facts lend some credibility to not only the need for our services, but the benefits as well.
Since our opening on March 1, we have taken in 89 guests. While we do occasionally discharge guests back to the streets, it is our desire and intention to connect our guests to resources that will help them integrate into a system that will improve their lifestyle. Those resources include permanent housing, employment and long term healthcare. Many of those that have entered our front door came in as homeless and unemployed but we have had numerous successes of discharging them to new, permanent housing and/or a new job.
We are a unique ministry. Two to three years ago, as we were developing the blue print for Samaritan House, we searched across the country for a ministry that we could model ourselves after. What we found were several “business” models where organizations were providing many of the same services that we wanted to include, but in all cases, patients were charged some amount for those services. The founders of Samaritan House determined very early in the process that there would be no costs to our guests. Another characteristic to Samaritan House that makes us unique is that we do not receive, nor have we ever applied for government money. Our efforts are guided by a motto of showing love, compassion and dignity to all those that pass through our doors, and unfortunately, we felt that by accepting government funds, we would compromise our ministry by having to comply with the government’s bureaucratic regulations and requirements.
This is truly a grass roots ministry. None of our founders or staff has any kind of background in running a non-profit. Nor do any of us have any kind of health care expertise. What we do have is compassion for a population of people that deserve the same opportunities that all of in this room have. You may have noticed that on several occasions I have referenced to our targeted community as “guests”. I can best explain that by making note that all of us in this room, in all likelihood have a home, or place of hospitality that we can retreat to when we are discharged from the hospital. We all have a place to receive the needed love and care when it’s time to recuperate. That is not the case with the homeless. Without family, without a home, their place to retreat is to the streets, to the bridge overpass or in the woods. Samaritan House is changing that, but would not be able to without the help of your club. Without your generous donations of time, hard work and money, we would never have been able to open our doors this past March. Your continued support is a mainstay to the permanence of our ministry and we are truly grateful.
As some of you know, I came from a 25 year career in corporate banking. I am regularly asked if my “new direction” with Samaritan House has been a good move and one with rewards. To respond to that, let me close by telling a couple of stories.
Last year, at this same time, when we were hard at work cleaning, painting and restoring our house for opening, I was standing in the back yard, taking a break when several men and women approached me. They introduced themselves as members of the community and had some questions about our “operation”. They proceeded to ask questions about how “secure” the facility would be; if we would have an “around the clock” guard and some very leading questions about the backgrounds of the individuals that we would have staying with us. It was apparent that they were nervous about how our facility may impact the safety of their community. While I tried to give them every assurance that they should not nurture any unfound fears, I also asked for their patience in witnessing our ministry and I thought that, in itself, would be confirmation that there would not be any negative impact. Let me close this story by stating that not only have we not heard one word of concern from them since that time, but we presently have no fewer than 11 volunteers from that community that give their heartfelt time and efforts towards Samaritan House.
Lastly, let me close with a story about James. James has been a guest that has been in and out of the hospital and Samaritan House for the past 2-3 months. He is a 45 year-old male with congestive heart disease and a lengthy list of other illnesses. Having grown up on the streets of inner city New York and minimal connection with family, he came to us with a calloused heart, but over the months he has witnessed the love and compassion that is shared by the staff and volunteers of Samaritan House and more importantly has come to question just how and why the people of Samaritan House behave in this manner. Just last week, James approached me and said: “Tom, I want some of what you and the people at Samaritan House have”. Not knowing if he meant our money, our cars and other material items, I asked him just what he wanted and he quickly responded: “Every time yall come into the house, you come smiling and asking how all of us (guests) are doing and always happy to see us. We (guests) have nothing to offer you and we have no money, and are always sick, but you always treat us special…..why do you do that? And if all this (Samaritan House) makes you that happy….I want some of it too!” I could not help but laugh a little and assure him that he did have it…I told him that “ ‘it’ is God’s love and compassion that he has gifted to all of us and he (James) had every bit as much as the rest of us but it is up to each one of us to share it with others. I finished the Bible lesson by sharing the story of the Good Samaritan and the parable of the sheep and the goats where we are told, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it to me.”
It is these kinds of stories and feedback from our guests that make it all worthwhile.
Again, I wish to thank Bob Teague and the Dilworth Rotary Club for the opportunity to be here today (Dec. 16 when he made this presentation to the club), and for your generous support of our ministry.
Samaritan House
In an assessment of homelessness in Charlotte/Mecklenburg, one of the principle gaps in homeless healthcare is the lack of temporary respite care. People who are homeless and have been in the hospital or emergency room have nowhere to rest and recuperate other than under a bush or in the woods. The shelters are for night stays only. Samaritan House will provide a 24-hour supervised place, which values love, dignity, respect and welcoming inclusion. It is intended to be a place of healing and hospitality for all persons. Upon discharge, guests will be directed to other services if they desire.
Charlotte Dilworth South End Rotary Club contributed $5000 and labor toward painting and improvements to make Samaritan House a reality. It opened to serve in the Spring of 2005. Located on Park Road in front of the YWCA. Click here for directions.
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