SCJs Select Grant Recipients

13 Social Services Organizations Receive Nearly $82,000 in POSH-USA Grants for 2016-2017

Every year, a small portion of gifts to the Priests of the Sacred Heart goes to fund grants to local organizations in the U.S. that provide much-needed services to the poor and disadvantaged.

The Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission of the Priests of the Sacred Heart gives grants to organizations that further the charism of our founder, Fr. Leo John Dehon, to “go to the people” as “prophets of love and servants of reconciliation”.

Sponsored groups must have some connection to the SCJ community and are judged on their impact on the poor and their potential for contributing to positive social change.

Grant recipients for 2016-2017 include:

1. The 8th Day Center for Justice (Chicago)
2. The Benedict Center for Criminal Justice (Milwaukee)
3. The Brother David Darst Center (Chicago)
4. Casa Juan Diego (Houston)
5. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
6. Common Ground of Southeastern Wisconsin
7. The Dominican Center (Milwaukee)
8. Magnificat Houses (Houston)
9. Port Ministries (Chicago)
10. SET Ministry (Milwaukee)
11. St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter (Green Bay)
12. TMO/The Metropolitan Organization (Houston)
13. Voces de la Frontera (Milwaukee)

More information about these organizations can be found at www.dehoniansocialjustice.com. However, we’d like to spotlight one of them right here: St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Founded in 2005 by Fr. Guy Blair, SCJ and his parishioners at St. John the Evangelist, the shelter provides night-to-night temporary emergency lodging to adult men and women.

It was Fr. Guy’s vision to use space at the Parish as a shelter of “last resort” for those who could not get a bed at other facilities because of overcrowding or other reasons. After battling opposition from city officials, that vision became a reality.

St. John’s takes a comprehensive and holistic approach to working with the homeless. Caseworkers address mental illness, addiction, unemployment and self-perception issues. The shelter offers everything from beds and showers to washers and dryers, phones and computers, even a pool table and games.

More than 300 homeless guests rely on the services of St. John’s each year. Last year they fulfilled a long-term dream with the opening of the Micah Center, a bright and cheery day-time shelter that greatly extends their mission to the homeless.