Meeting Ground History and Mission...
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and
well-being … including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary
social services"
-
Article 25, United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Meeting Ground came into existence in 1981 in Maryland and Delaware as a faith-based response to the growing epidemic of wasted human life, both in this
nation and across the globe, and especially in the form that has come to be known as "homelessness."
Rooted in Christian values and inspired by various religious traditions, Meeting Ground grew from the concept of "shelter" to the reality of "home" for the
homeless and those whose lives they encountered at the place of hospitality: volunteers, college & seminary students, mission-tripers, clergy, formerly
homeless persons, and others from all walks of life.
Meeting Ground is...
community of faith...
a deep commitment to doing what faith requires
in work & word, sharing the good news of the beloved community
calling folks together to work for justice which brings peace
partnership...
with persons & families who have experienced homelessness
with the Presbyterian Church, exploring evangelism & mission
with churches and faith communities of many denominations
doing mission...
with youth volunteer mission groups
with and among other communities of faith
making real the table of God through providing homeless persons with housing, community, & tangible means to a new life
calling folks together in the work of community building & hospitality
hospitality, friendship, and new life...
emergency & transitional housing for homeless families, women, & men
"a place to call home" for many who have been homeless
the warmth of community, meals, fellowship, and the means of
empowerment to end homelessness in individual lives and in our world
Our Mission Statement
Meeting Ground's Ends Policies
OUR WORK:
Our success is measured by the quality of our community life and the nourishment and hope it brings to those who are seeking or in need.
2009 Annual
Report
Administration: (Contact information below)
Rev. Randall Clayton, Administrative Pastor / Executive
Director: randy@meetingground.org
Lori Goldsmith, Business Manager
info@meetingground.org
Emergency & Transitional Housing & Support
for Families, Women, and Men Who Are Experiencing Homelessness:
CLAIRVAUX FARM: 21 Veazey Cove Rd., Earleville, MD 21919 A 20-acre
residential facility with accommodations for 35 persons. There are residential
buildings for families with children, women and men, a dining hall, chapel,
community building, pavilion, offices and barns -- 13 buildings in all, most
built by volunteers. 410/275-8990.
Alison Windle, Director alison@meetingground.org
Udo Sommerhoff, Director of Operations
udo@meetingground.org
WAYFARERS' HOUSE: 107 Delaware Ave., Elkton, MD 21921 A
large 9-bedroom house, centrally located in town, with a capacity for 16 women
with or without children. 410/398-4381. Cynthia Wood, Director
cynthia@meetingground.org
SETTLEMENT HOUSE: The Men’s Shelter of Cecil County. 168
E. Main St., Elkton, MD 21921. Centrally located emergency and transitonal
residence for 16 men. 410/392-8066. Daryl Martin, Director
daryl@meetinggroundl.org
GEORGE PORTER HOUSE: 238 Mackall St., Elkton, MD 21921 A
large duplex transitional house for 8 persons. 410/398-4381. Cynthia Wood,
Director wayfarer@meetingground.org
ROTATING CHURCH-BASED WINTER SHELTER: from November -
March, a 20 bed shelter housed in rotating Cecil County churches. Women, men,
and families. Intake for women and families is at Wayfarer’s House and men at
Settlement House from 3-5 pm daily during winter months. 410-620-4701.
randy@meetingground.org
MARY RANDALL CENTER: 401 North St., Elkton, MD 21921. A
centrally located center for meeting, worship, Bible study, and help for all
persons, focusing on those who are experiencing homelessness or who are
otherwise struggling on the margins. 410-620-4701.
randy@meetingground.org
Each year we:
• Provide over 35,000 bed-nights of emergency and transitional housing.
• Serve 45,000 meals
• Were available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for referrals, housing, and
supportive services
• Since its inception in 1982, Meeting Ground has provided 467,829 bednights of
emergency & transitional housing.
Education, advocacy & partnerships:
Each year over 350 volunteers in 20 - 25 groups participate in our volunteer mission trip and work camp program. Groups have come from churches from St. Louis to Cape
Cod, from Bentonville, Arkansas to Grand Rapids, Michigan. They build housing for homeless, buildings for distribution of clothing and household goods, as well as for
fellowship, study, and worship. Between digging, hammering, sawing, and mulching they also share fellowship with other members of the community. They learn firsthand
what it means to be homeless, and how their own churches and groups can best offer real help and solutions to end homelessness in our country.
Loaves & Fishes is our nationally and
internationally circulated bi-monthly newspaper, Current circulation is
9,500 to individuals, churches, peace and justice fellowships, libraries, businesses, refugee groups, homeless shelters, advocacy groups, and supporting organizations. Loaves & Fishes is a charter member of the North American Street Newspaper Association.
We conduct numerous immersions, bible studies, and discussions with high school,
college, church confirmation classes, and adult groups all year. We also receive
a number of visits from churches and organizations who ask for information and
guidance on establishing additional local ministries to help persons who are
experiencing homelessness in their communities. In partnership with Salisbury
University, Meeting Ground completed the first ever study of the root causes of
Homelessness in
Cecil County, Maryland with recommendations for housing relief (released in
October, 2005).
Our community has a long history of public advocacy for persons and families experiencing homelessness. The scene above is from our 2004 Elkton observance of National
Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. This December event is organized by Meeting Ground each year in partnership with others. This march and gathering serves to bring the
larger community together in a rededication of our effort to end homelessness in all ways possible.
We are partners with the National Coalition for the Homeless, participate annually in legislative lobby day in Annapolis, and are endorsers of many fellow efforts for justice
such as the National Housing Trust Fund. Over the years Meeting Ground has taken leadership initiative in such causes as the Sanctuary Movement to assist refugees from
Central America and the Wilmington Festival of Shelters project, among many others.
Through our publication,
Loaves & Fishes,
we provide clarity and draw connections regarding root causes of homelessness. We have
also, from our beginnings, insisted that those most capable of speaking to the point are
those most disastrously affected, the homeless themselves. We have not done this work
alone. Meeting Ground has drawn participation from dozens of local congregations and from
scores of individuals, religious communities, and groups from all over the country. We
have helped initiate and become a continuing partner to new endeavors, such as Friendship House
in Wilmington, Delaware, BorderLinks in Tucson, Arizona, and the Cecil County Men's
Shelter and the Community Kitchen in Elkton, Maryland.
Partnerships:
Since 1982, Meeting Ground community has taken significant leadership in helping to gather
partnerships to begin new programs. These have all developed from needs which our
community has encountered as it has come to know persons experiencing homelessness, and
seeking to find ways better to meet their need, and answer the challenge which they presented to
us as a community. Among these partnerships are:
Friendship House was organized by Meeting Ground as a thrift store in 1985 on south Market
Street in Wilmington, Delaware. It was a response to the high percentage of persons and
families from Delaware who were having to cross into Maryland to find emergency housing with
us. To prevent their loss of benefits we decided to establish a Delaware office and thrift store (to
make it self-supporting) to allow residents the opportunity daily to return to Delaware to
relocate. In 1987, in response to a growing crisis, Friendship House began providing emergency
overnight shelter as well as a day center. As the work expanded, a partnership was formed with
several Wilmington churches, and Friendship House was re-organized as a ministry in its own
right.
BorderLinks In 1986, our community was asked by a church to provide emergency housing to
two refugees from El Salvador. It was our introduction into the special problems of refugees
from Central America who were fleeing for their lives from civil war. Many were deeply
religious, and under suspicion as subversives because of their connection to the martyred
archbishop Oscar Romero. In an effort to assist increasing numbers of refugees who were asking
for help, Meeting Ground helped to gather a partnership which became CASA (Communities
Aligned for Sanctuary Assistance.) This new group sponsored the Border Outreach Project
which supported two local volunteers to work with refugees at the U.S./Mexico border in
Tucson, and maintain liaison with our community as well. After a year this project was
re-organized as "BorderLinks"in partnership with Tabernacle United Church in Philadelphia, and
Rick Ufford-Chase was recruited to initiate the project. Under his leadership BorderLinks
developed an outstanding program of education and community building.
Elkton Community Kitchen - In a rural setting, persons experiencing homelessness are likely to
remain invisible and isolated, living in the woods, cars, vacant buildings, and doubled-up with
friends and relatives. In 1999, Meeting Ground community helped to gather a partnership to
organize a weekly community kitchen for Cecil County in Elkton. This was a response to the
growing need of homeless persons to have a place to gather regularly to find help and remain a
part of the fellowship of a larger community. Meeting Ground continues its active participation
and support of the expanding partnership which includes churches, schools, businesses, scout
groups, social service agencies, and homeless and formerly homeless persons.
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Groups & Workshops: •
Chapel Service (weekly) • Bible study group • Parenting/communication class
• GED class • Nutrition workshop • Financial planning workshop •
Children's Hour
• Self-esteem workshop • Craft/Art workshop • Rolling Readers
Homeless prevention: •
Emergency food assistance •
Clothing, furniture, appliance help •
Food clubs (Hope Program) • Rainbow
Fund for medical assistance • Legal
Assistance Fund • Savings account
program • Follow-up visitation
Education & Advocacy:
• Loaves
& Fishes (Bi-monthly newspaper) • Ups
& Downs (a publication of Wayfarers'
House)
The Meeting Ground Reader • Web
Site: www.meetingground.org
• Mission Trips
Program (work/study - @25 groups, 400 volunteers / year)
• Retreats for Confirmation
Classes, etc. • Workshops on
homeless-ness • Gatekeepers Bible
Studies
• Conferences: "Homelessness
& the church"
"New Ways of Being Church"
"Standing Together: Building Justice into a World Economy"
"Helping, Not Fixing: Practical Roots of Compassionate Action"
How to reach
us...
Main
Office:
Meeting Ground P.O. Box
808 Elkton, MD 21922 / (410) 275-2936
Fax: 410-275-9441
E-Mail: info@meetingground.org
