Home Keeps Families In Need Together
(Memphis)—There are hundreds of homeless families here in Memphis. Saturday, Mid-Southerners braved chilly, fall like temperatures in April, to help those families in need.
The Dorothy Day Family Fun Ride took place in Overton park Saturday morning to raise money for the Dorothy Day house. It’s a shelter that takes in homeless and jobless families, while they are getting on their feet.
Delphany McConnell and her children joyfully walked through Overton park to help raise money for the families living at the Dorothy Day house. Just three years ago, they were one of them. They turned to the shelter after McConnell lost her job and their home.
“At first, I was a little upset because we were put in that position.” McConnell tells News Channel 3.
The Dorothy Day house was the only place in Memphis McConnell could keep her whole family together. In most shelters, men live in one home, women and small children live in another.
“The teenage boys have to go into foster care or find a place to live. They can’t stay with the mother of the father.” said Sister Maureen Griner with the Dorothy Day House.
“It would have broken our family apart. It would have torn me up mentally, emotionally, and everything to be separated from children.” expressed McConnell.
Sister Maureen Griner has worked at the Dorothy Day house for six years, she says, families who stay together can attack the homeless problem quicker.
“When they are split like that, so often they can’t even begin to think about how to get out of a hole they’re in. Their focus is on, ‘when am I going to see them, are they safe?’ said Griner.
The house has helped dozens of families since it opened in 2006. It’s run solely through private donations and volunteers. Sister Griner is thankful for the help they have been able to provide so far, but is also looking forward to the future. The organization hopes to buy another house, so they can serve more families.
“Sometimes when we hear the families stories and we walk with them in that journey, sometimes it gets discouraging. But when you see all of this behind you, you realize there is whole community supporting our house.” Expressed Griner.
Because of that support, McConnell was able to find a job and graduate from college. She says, her children now have a better sense of community.
The Dorothy Day House is always in need of In-Kind Donations, that’s anything you use in your home like, paper towels, tooth paste, soap, etc. You can drop off those donations, or mail a check to The Dorothy Day House at 1429 Poplar, Memphis, TN 38104.
