by Anna Trusky

 

Good comes in many forms, at  many times.

On the evening of  Thursday, January 5 – the  Twelfth

Night of Christmas – the Covenant  Shelter on Jay Street, New London

held an Open House to share with the community all the good it does for

people in need.

 

The Covenant Shelter was established in 1983 by St. James Episcopal

Church and St. Mary Star of the Sea  Roman Catholic Church  to meet

the varied needs of homeless people  in the area. In addition to providing

“home between homes,” the shelter  offers nourishment for mind, body,

and soul, and  a batch of practical tools  to help clients achieve housing and

self-sufficiency.

 

At the Twelfth Night event,  the  Covenant Shelter Board of

Directors, along with management  and staff, guided guests in tours.

The facility includes a women and  families’ lounge; rooms for families,

single women, and on a separate floor,  single men; a kitchen where nutritious

meals are prepared for residents, and a children’s room for kids between 2

and 12 years of age. The kids are kept  constructively busy with fun, creative,

and educational activities guided by  Children’s Program Director Stefanie

Hinman.

 

Stefanie guided visitors through an  exhibit of artwork created by resident

children and pointed out newsletters they wrote. She explained that each

week at Covenant House, the average  of a dozen resident kids participate in

an exploration of different careers,  learning about jobs such as journalism,

architecture, and culinary sciences, and then engage in activities related to

that field.

 

In remarks to visitors, Executive Director Catherine Foley expressed

gratitude to the community for support they provide the shelter. The St. Mary

Star of the Sea Youth Choir entertained visitors with a selection of popular

songs from musicals that concluded with their own rendition of the favorite

“The Twelve Days of Christmas”— expressed as “The Twelve Days of

New London Christmas”—which expressed their wishes for families

to find homes, for people to help one another, and for peace in the new year.

 

 

Let’s hope all their good wishes come true in 2012, not only for the

people served by Covenant Shelter but for all residents throughout our region