Author: admin

In my role as Interim Executive Director at Resurrection House I often get asked, “What makes Resurrection House so special?” While I think there could be many responses to that question, the one thing that truly makes us unique is the community that supports us. Our community has been by our side the entire 34 years we have been serving Sarasota’s homeless population. They make our mission possible.

The recent holiday season was a great example of the amazing outpouring of community support. The donations of clothing, blankets, toiletries, and other items seemed to be unending. The more items we brought into our center, the more donations kept showing up at our door. The generosity was incredible.

Financial donations from individuals, businesses, foundations and religious groups also continue to fuel our ability to serve our homeless clients’ needs. Since our inception, Resurrection House has not accepted funding from the city, county, state, or federal government. Monetary gifts of all sizes continue to be instrumental in funding critical services for our clients such as showers, laundry, food, clothing, and medical treatment to name a few. We are so grateful for our generous donors.

Like so many non-profit organizations, the impact of COVID took a toll on our volunteer workforce. Before the pandemic, we had over 150 volunteers serving each week at Resurrection House. When I became a staff member in July, we had around 60 dedicated volunteers, which reduced the number of days we were open from five to three days a week. Over the past couple of months, through the support of our church partners and a growing “word of mouth” network, more and more individuals have found their way to Resurrection House to volunteer. We now have over 100 volunteers, and that number continues to grow. This recent surge has allowed us to expand our operating hours back to five days a week. However, we still need more volunteers. If you are interested in serving at Resurrection House, please reach out to us. We would love for you to join our volunteer team.

Thank you to all who continue to make Resurrection House that oasis in the sea of uncertainty for those experiencing homelessness. I think Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it the best, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” The Resurrection House is the perfect place to start helping those around you.

All the best,
Mason Ayres
Interim Executive Director

Some of you may already know Peter Sperduti. He’s been a volunteer at Resurrection House since May 2022, but recently he’s become our Volunteer Coordinator.

A former firefighter, Peter started helping the homeless in the 1990s and has continued with his ministry by conducting Bible studies in shelters and feeding people on the streets.

“I’ve seen miracles happen while doing that,” he says.

Peter explains “it takes a lot of baby steps in ministering to the homeless but it’s rewarding in the end. I love seeing bridges restored for those who have had them broken.” He’s seen parents reconnect with their children and people go from homeless to housed.

“Seeing them being put back together really motivates me,” says Peter. Becoming a volunteer with Resurrection House and making a difference in people’s lives doesn’t require special skills.

“You don’t need to have any previous experience,” he explains. “You just need a heart for the homeless.”

Peter recommends exploring all the volunteer opportunities at Resurrection House – from helping with laundry to greeting clients. “It helps you gain an appreciation that serving here is a true team effort,” he says.

Every winter for the past 19 years, Notre Dame Club of Greater Sarasota has given Resurrection House hundreds of blankets as part of their Warm Wishes program.

The partnership began when University of Notre Dame students participated in a summer service learning program in Sarasota that included volunteering with Resurrection House.

“Once we realized what a great organization it was, we wanted to help out,” says Chris Kernan, who ran the Warm Wishes program from its inception. He recently turned it over to Pat Forshee, a member of the Notre Dame Club’s board of directors.

The alumni organization’s local chapter, which has more than 200 members, began their work by collecting clothing and canned goods as well as blankets but found the most success with the latter. “We want to help the homeless stay warm in the winter,” Chris says. Their first year, they donated around 100 blankets, and last year the number ran to about 800. The Warm Wishes program supports both Resurrection House and Stillpoint Mission in Bradenton.

Chris says while they gladly accept new and lightly used blankets from their members, most of the donations are monetary, enabling them to purchase brand-new blankets for the best price.

The blankets are delivered in December and given to Resurrection House clients as needed throughout the year.

“We are grateful to Notre Dame Club of Greater Sarasota for their generosity and caring of the homeless in our community!” says Mason Ayres, Interim Executive Director at Resurrection House.

There is no better 1947 movie to watch in the last quarter of the year than “The Bishop’s Wife” starring Cary Grant, David Nivin, and Loretta Young (The 1990’s remake with Whitney Houston pales in comparison). Without spoiling it for you, the film is about a suave, handsome angel (Cary Grant, naturally) who comes down from heaven to rescue the Episcopal Bishop of New York (Nivin) and his wife (Young) from a spiritual dry spell resulting from their obsession with the mechanics and fundraising associated with building a grand new cathedral.

Eventually, the bishop listens to the angel and remembers again what’s really important – on Christmas Eve no less. The bishop stands re-converted, if you will, in his vast new cathedral pulpit, discards his long dull sermon, and says only these words to thousands gathered on the Upper East Side:

Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking.

Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child’s cry, a blazing star hung over a stable, and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven’t forgotten that night down the centuries. We celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, with the sound of bells, and with gifts.

But especially with gifts. You give me a book, I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle Henry can do with a new pipe. For we forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled, all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in a manger.

Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most. And then, let each put in his share, loving kindness, warm hearts, and a stretched-out hand of tolerance. All the shining gifts that make peace on earth.

At Resurrection House we are completing another year serving our homeless sisters and brothers in Sarasota. Can we count on you to fill our stocking as we approach the end of the year, helping us to be an even larger stretched-out hand of loving kindness to God’s children that desperately need to experience a little peace on earth?

With every blessing and good wish, I am:
Yours in the Lord’s service,
(The Rev.) Charleston D. Wilson
Board President, Resurrection House

On October 19th, 2023, Resurrection House began its 34th year of operation. What started as a Vestry project at Church of the Redeemer in 1985, became a reality in October 1989 when six Sarasota downtown churches came together to form what is now the Resurrection House.

The first couple of years were spent in one room in the old Salvation Army building on 4th street. A small building on 6th street was quickly followed by the present location at 507 Kumquat Court.

Resurrection House owes its existence and success to the many donors, churches and foundations that believe in its mission of helping the homeless. Having never taken funding from the city, county, state or federal government allows the staff the freedom to make immediate decisions to aid those most in need.

Happy Birthday Resurrection House.

“A Chaplain is many things to many people. He is a mediator, a peace maker, a go-between heaven and earth. He has the trust of a child, the kindness of a best friend, and the strength of a Man of God. He works hard; his hours are the longest; his salary is the smallest; his Boss is the best. It’s no wonder God loves him; he speaks to God for us and to us for God.”

Anonymous

Resurrection House is now so blessed to have our own Chaplain, Michael Hales, who speaks to God for us. He also speaks to all of us about God. His presence every week at Resurrection House speaks to
all of us, but his quiet demeanor speaks most clearly to our homeless clients who are struggling with all the challenges they face every day. He brings them hope and helps to restore their faith.

Chaplain Michael comes in every Tuesday morning. He acknowledges all of us, but pauses to interact with each client. He asks them questions; he listens to them; he hears them; he counsels them; he prays with them.

Chaplain Michael then invites our clients to worship in The Rev. Dr. Fredrick A. Robinson Chapel at Resurrection House. All are welcome to join our Chaplain: to sing hymns, to say prayers, to study scripture
and to share in communion. At the close of his service, Chaplain Michael invites our clients to share their own thoughts and needs with the group or to privately meet with him after the service.

Resurrection House has been truly blessed by Chaplain Michael Hales because he is a Man of God. And he is keenly aware of the differences in each and every client. He listens, empathizes and shows them respect. And we are so grateful that he has joined our team!

Has it really been 15 years? It seems like yesterday that I was hired as Director of Development for Resurrection House. The calendar might have read January 2008, but in my head and heart it seems like only a few days ago.

Working with the homeless has readjusted my perspective on what is truly important in one’s life. Becoming the Executive Director over seven years ago has changed me in so many ways.

The most lasting lesson I have learned over all the years–when you take the time and effort to help another individual, you end up helping yourself. I did not realize it at the time, but a part of me became more caring, less self-centered and an overall calm person.

At Resurrection House, when a homeless individual makes the decision to change his or her lifestyle, the staff immediately determines the path that will result in the greatest success and provide the steps to accomplish the goal. It is in helping them that the charity and compassion spills over to the individual assisting the change.

I have been fortunate enough to be involved in the decision to use our resources to partner in making the change in others. It is truly a blessing to experience seeing the positive results in others.

I leave my tenure at Resurrection House with a grateful heart and a feeling of accomplishment. I owe a great debt to the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers for their efforts and compassion in helping to complete our mission on a daily basis. I feel certain that Resurrection House will succeed in continuing to help the most underserved population among us.

Winston Churchill once said “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”. This quote has always been one of my favorites even more so when I decided to retire last fall from my role as President of the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. While many find their way to the golf course during their retirement years, my focus and passion became volunteering. Any opportunity to give back whether it was hurricane relief, feeding the hungry or serving the homeless, I was there to try and help out in some small way. The Resurrection House became one of the organizations I found myself volunteering at each week. My Thursday morning shift in the laundry area was a consistent highlight of my week.

Jesus showed his servant leadership by washing the feet of his disciples. I got to show mine at the Resurrection House by washing someone’s laundry. These small acts of kindness that are done each and every day at the Resurrection House go a long way in touching a heart and helping our clients know they are not forgotten.

Regarding my next chapter here at the Resurrection House, I’m thrilled to be given the opportunity to be its next leader as the Interim Executive Director. Under Bill Wilson’s leadership, the organization has accomplished a lot and has served its mission well. It is clear to see that those who have been involved over the years have given tirelessly of themselves to help those much less fortunate. I’m looking forward to building upon the great work of our dedicated community, board, volunteers and staff.

Mason Ayres
Interim Executive Director

A comment made by a Sarasota Police officer during an off-duty detail at Resurrection House sparked an action. The officer said when she went through the training program as a recruit, she was immediately assigned to the night shift. It was a couple years later that she became aware of Resurrection House and how much interaction between the two organizations benefits everyone involved.

SPD officers working their daily shift often encounter homeless individuals. If the need is for clothing, food, or a shower, the officer knows Resurrection House stands ready to help them improve the situation. The reverse is also true. Having an SPD officer work an off-duty detail at Resurrection House provides safety and security for the volunteers, staff and clients. It is also an opportunity for interaction with an officer in a non-threatening environment.

Individuals wanting to join the police force attend a six-month long Police Academy through an FDLE-certified State Academy. Upon graduation and being hired by the Sarasota Police Department, the recruits are put through a 10-11 week long Agency Specific Training. It is at this point in their training that they visit Resurrection House for the first time.

Training programs in the future will include a stop at Resurrection House. The bond between the Sarasota Police Department and Resurrection House is very strong and is especially beneficial to both sides meeting the needs of the homeless in our community.

Dear Friends,

“From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind”

Psalm 33:13

A dear mentor of mine, now long departed, once told me about one Sunday morning on his way to church in St. Louis.  He was a  priest, and he didn’t hear his alarm that morning.  Of course, when one is late, all the traffic signals are red.  As he waited at a signal a few blocks before his parish, a man he’d noticed before was sitting on the curb with no shoes and a sad countenance.  My friend motioned him over to his car because he felt compelled to give the man a few dollars and point towards the shelter for a shower.

Unfortunately, when my friend reached into his back pocket, he noticed that he’s also forgotten his wallet as he rushed to leave.  Embarrassed that he had called over this homeless man only to turn him away emptyhanded, he said, “I am Father Ed, and I will be back through here later today.  I will bring you some money.  I’m sorry I don’t have any now.”  The tired, homeless man lifted his head, looked Father Ed in the eyes and said, “Father, it’s not about the money.  Thank you for looking at me.”

In that incredible exchange we see what Resurrection House is all about: honoring the undeniable dignity present in the face of every human being.  Or, more officially, my friend’s story points us to the transformative power of our mission of being “committed to transitioning at-risk and homeless individuals to a path of self-sufficiency.”

I am deeply honored to have been elected Resurrection House Chairman of the Board.  I follow the Reverend Fred Robinson, who served faithfully since 1995.  I promise to do all in my power to continue our great legacy and by God’s grace, build upon it so that more and more may know the love and God and the power of kindness.

I pray in this season that you will be moved to recommit yourselves to the work God has given us to do.  And I pray that you, too, may feel God’s kind gaze upon you and rediscover hope in His eternal promises.

Your servant,

The Reverend Charleston D. Wilson

Rector, Church of the Redeemer