In northwest Macomb County, Michigan, just north of Detroit, a collaboration of 15 Christian churches is working together to make a noticeable difference among the underprivileged residents in their community. When originally founded in 1995, Samaritan House reached out to mainly help with food needs. Since then, the non-profit, under the leadership of Kathy Wojcik, has expanded to include referral services, assistance with income tax preparation, counseling, budget-making, and back-to-school backpacks, but the primary focus right now is to “try to solve the problem of food insecurity in our community,” explains Kathy. “The rising price of everything, food, gas, utilities, rent…it really makes the ability to put food on the table very difficult. And we want to make sure that our seniors, our families, and our children have enough to eat every day.”
In one recent month, Samaritan House volunteers delivered food to 225 families and 43 people who are homebound. Kids from 65 families took part in the Summer Food Program. And it’s noteworthy that 84 volunteers donated more than 1200 hours to help others.
On the Samaritan House web site, two scriptures stand out:
“Serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" Galatians 5:13-14
"Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you have been taught by God to love each other." 1 Thessalonians 4:9
Image above: Kathy Wojcik
When a resident, a new client, asks for assistance the outreach has many sources available to help, and a primary one is the local ‘church’ – the 15 cooperative congregations with people willing to help. And Samaritan House clients are encouraged to attend church and become part of the local Christian community. From her heart, Kathy shares the need for the hope found only in Christ, “That’s what’s missing right now in a lot of the world, prayer and faith and just having compassion for those that are much less fortunate than we are.” One example of the blessings that can take place, a woman explained she was $4,000 behind on her rent, her husband had passed away, and she was facing possible eviction. The woman received encouragement and prayer and let Kathy know “by the grace of God, sponsoring churches in the community all came together and we were able to pay the rent, keep up with the payments – so we’re not going to get evicted!” And Kathy adds, “I’ve never had one client say ‘Nope, I don’t want prayer.’ ”
From Kathy’s heart, “We’re trying to make sure that the people who are food insecure, the grandparents raising grandkids, the single mom with two jobs, the single dad with two jobs, that they don’t fall through the cracks and that they know they can always come here, and we’re going to help them out.” And on a personal note, “Problems that we have in our life are just so miniscule when we see what some of these clients are going through. It really makes you grateful and go home and appreciate all that you have and all that God has blessed us with.”
Our Mission
Samaritan House is a community service organization devoted to serving individuals and families within our community by recognizing their needs and mobilizing the means for dealing with those needs so that suffering can be relieved, dignity preserved, and love shared.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.