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The Georgetown Dish did a great article about our 2011 House Tour. Read the full article here.

The Spirit of Georgetown was held Thursday, Oct. 14th in honor of the Rev. Stuart Kenworthy, rector of Christ Church, Georgetown, for his many contributions to the community and for his support of the Georgetown Ministry Center for so many years.

There were special thanks for Fran Kenworthy and their children, as well as a special toast to Frida Burling on her 95th birthday!

The event took place at the wonderfully restored home of Niloo and David Howe, which has served as a hospital during the Civil War, General Ulysses Grant’s coach house, a stop on the Underground Railroad, and finally the home of a former Miss America, Yolande Fox. The  high ceilings and large windows provided an elegant atmosphere, and the open living room area was packed with wonderful people and kind sentiment. Hard downpours throughout the morning of the event dampened hopes of a high turnout, but miraculously an hour before the event, the sky cleared up, revealing a beautiful dusk light and allowing guests to roam the lush backyard and admire the pool.

Stuart Kenworthy gave a humble speech, surrounded by many of his dearest friends and fans, as well as his whole family. Flowers were given to Stuart and Frida, as well as in appreciation to our co-hosts Melissa Overmyer, Heidi Scanlon, and Christine Rales. Janine Schoonover of Serendipity3 was recognized for donating the catering for the evening.

The event raised over $50,000 in funds that will go directly toward GMC’s work to end homelessness. We are grateful for our supportive community and the many wonderful people who gave generously through this event.

Visit the Spirit of Georgetown website for more information.

On October 14th, crowds gathered in Georgetown for the 17th annual Taste of Georgetown, a Fall food festival featuring sample dishes prepared by 30 of the area’s top restaurants, paired with wine tastings on the lawn of Grace Church, and topped off with live music from local talents. Wisconsin Avenue was closed to traffic between M and K, and lines of tents were set up along both sides of the road. Sponsored by the Georgetown Business Improvement District, the event benefits Georgetown Ministry Center.

What started as a few boiling pots of local fare on the lawn of Grace Church has become one of the area’s most anticipated events. The weather was warm and sunny, and people were ready to eat and drink; the turn-out was massive. This year was a great success.

Every year the cuisine is more diverse and the dishes increasingly creative. Some of the winners of this year’s contest include: chorizo corn-dog with shrimp slaw by J. Paul’s, beef brisket ravioli with dolcetto wine and crimini mushroom sauce by Filomena Ristorante, and fire-grilled sweet chili wings with cool cucumber mint sauce by Fahrenheit.

Manned by over 70 volunteers, the Taste of Georgetown is a great event that brings together the community and offers local restaurants and musicians a chance to show off their talent. A day of fun and food, all in support of GMC’s work to help the homeless in Georgetown.

For more information visit: www.tasteofgeorgetown.com.

And to view photos from the event visit the Taste Flickr page.

A wonderful article just got posted on the Georgetowner web site about our house tour.  Check it out here.

Georgetown Ministry Center News Spring 2011

In this issue:

• Finding Family
• Help the Homeless Success
• Fighting Homelessness
• Let’s Start Talking
• Winter Shelter Round-up
• Students Who Care
• Spring Sock Drive
• GMC Temporarily Homeless

Finding Family

Several months ago I received a call from a woman who was trying to find her brother. She knew he was homeless and in the Georgetown area but little else. I knew right where to find RH and was happy to help reunite them. I knew him by name though I had never been able to get much out of him let alone engage him in services. I would see him in passing on a regular basis and say, “How are you doing?”

He would enthusiastically respond, “All right, my man,” but then the responses were limited to grunts, smiles, and one-word replies, usually “No” in response to my asking, “Can I help you get a place to live?”

Well, there is a lot to say about family. His sister, a strong-willed woman, practically dragged him by the ear to Social Security, to the Department of Vital Statistics, and finally to Pathways to Housing where he is on the short list for a place to live.

RH had lived there under the bridge for over 20 years: That is how long I had been trying to engage him. Six months: That is how long it took his sister to move him from his secluded spot under the bridge to putting together a package that will offer a place to live. I was happy to give advice and encouragement where I could, but she had the power to move him.

In the meantime, I learned that RH has limited intellectual functioning, a fact hidden by his laconic nature, which is probably caused by a major mental illness, perhaps schizoid personality disorder. From his sister I learned that he was in special education classes from the beginning. How he detached himself from his family and found his way to Georgetown is anybody’s guess. He just doesn’t say much.

The people who inhabit the streets are there for a variety of reasons. They are not there because of uncaring families. We work with families from around the world who are frustrated by their inability to get their loved ones off the street.

When SA was featured in a Georgetown Dish video about GMC, his sister, who lives in Costa Rica, happened onto it on a Google search. Soon family from around the world were contacting us about him, including a cousin, a Marine colonel in Afghanistan. Using our computers, SA now has a Facebook account where he keeps up with his family, including his adult son in Puerto Rico. I swelled with emotion one day when I saw him on one of our computers, talking to his sister in Costa Rica via Skype.

They had thought he was dead!

—Gunther Stern

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