On Friday, June 9th, Georgetown Ministry Center received Fox 5 DC’s “Hometown Hero” award, which recognized GMC for its ongoing efforts to provide assistance, advocacy and services for the homeless in our community. GMC’s Executive Director, Gunther Stern, was interviewed during the “Hometown Hero” segment of Fox’s summer Zip Trip Series, which features a different neighborhood in the DMV each week. GMC thanks its staff, board and volunteers for their ongoing contributions, without which we couldn’t continue to do the important work of aiding our homeless brothers and sisters in need. This award is for you!
Georgetown Ministry Center’s Executive Director, Gunther Stern, accepts the Hometown Hero award from Fox 5 DC
Georgetown Ministry Center staff and board members gather around the Hometown Hero award, presented by Fox 5 DC in recognition of GMC’s contributions to the community
Over the weekend, we learned that Joel Johnson, who came to GMC almost every day, was killed as he slept outside St. Luke’s Mission Center in Glover Park. The mood here at GMC is somber and contemplative. We are all wondering who would have done such a thing, and it is a sobering thought that an attack like this could happen to any of our guests who sleep on the street.
I don’t want to remember Joel as a homeless man. He was a gentle man who came to our Center almost every day. He was polite, reserved, and certainly a man of few words. Though we never got to know him well, we all liked him and thought of him as a positive addition to our program.
Joel slept where so many homeless people sleep, exposed to whatever the danger that lingers just around the corner. We lost a good friend who happened to be without a home.
Some of us knew Joel from the Center or from our winter shelter two years ago. Others knew Joel from the Saturday and Sunday dinners that are sponsored and hosted by several Georgetown congregations. We hope you will spare a moment to remember our friend and to keep all of our guests in your thoughts.
Last January, GMC partnered with Georgetown University’s Center for Social Justice to create a volunteer Hypothermia Outreach Team (HOT) to do street outreach on the coldest nights and to make sure that those living on the street in our community are safe.
WAMU featured the Hypothermia Outreach Team in a segment today. We think this is required listening and hope you will share it with your friends and family! It does a great job of telling the story and showing the interactions between our volunteers and those who stay on the streets.
Often, people assume that after someone is housed, it’s case-closed, problem solved, and the ending is happily ever after. However, there is still a struggle that occurs after one finds housing. Medications, refilling prescriptions, various appointments — there is a lot to keep track of, and often, especially if one has a mental illness, it can be difficult to stay on top of all that needs to get done.
The Washington Post recently had an article that shows a glimpse into this world. It’s a great article and paints a good picture into this world.
