The staff and volunteers at Casa San Francisco, or the House of Francis, in Milton, Delaware joyfully keep their doors open on Christmas, and every other day of the year, welcoming those in need.
It’s a perpetually sustained Christmas spirit, mirroring the teachings of the home’s namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, who espoused the value of serving the suffering. As the good saint said, when we do so, we serve Christ.
Franciscan Sisters started Casa San Francisco/House of Francis in 1981 to serve rural poor and migrant workers.
To this day, assisting the poor remains the mission. Those in need now are men and women from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia – all needing shelter and a home. Casa San Francisco becomes their temporary home for 30,60, sometimes, 90 days while they re-form their life to begin again.
“These are people who have no one,” said Program Manager Gary Belkot. “For any one of a number of reasons, their lives have fallen apart.” One-fourth of them are over the age of 62. Most times, they are both broke and broken. And suffer with medical or mental health challenges.
“The reality is they have no place to live, no place to go,” said Belkot. “We provide basic needs with meals, a shower, a place to sleep, and professional support.”
“It’s about meeting people where they are, providing resources that can help them take the first step to a better life,” said Case Manager Vicky Heher.
Catholic Charities keeps the program running with minimal staff and loyal volunteers who show up weekly with homemade meals, man the front reception desk, assemble grocery bags of food or help keep Casa looking and feeling like a home.
They are all good instruments. Doug Welch is one of them. He has been volunteering for 18 years filling emergency bags of groceries for anyone who walks in .
Sue Frerks has been volunteering for 16 years. “It made me so happy when a former resident, who had been given a coat, returned to say the coat helped him get the job he wanted. Now he’s able to have a steady paycheck.”
Volunteers all say they hope to make a difference. It’s evident they do.
One nearby neighbor knocks on the Casa door for help on the day of the Volunteer Recognition Luncheon, the week before Christmas, hoping for a sack of groceries to get him through the week. He was cheerily greeted at reception and given a big brown bag, to which he responded, “Thank you, thank you all, appreciate it. It makes a difference.”
It’s just as Saint Francis would want it to be.
Food readily dispensed at the door and when needed, a safe and comforting room at the inn. “Rather than teaching about Christ, we choose to just be Christ to them,” said Belkot.
