By Sister Pat Glinka SSND
Villa Assumpta Sisters in Mary Our Queen Community chose to study Social Justice and Liberation recently as part of our monthly Laudato Si' Solidarity Thursdays. We invited members of the Catholic Charities Safe Streets program to present.
Safe Streets is a public health initiative aimed at reducing shootings and homicides in targeted areas of Baltimore City. It is a movement holding the belief that violence is a disease that can be cured.
SSND Associate and former Catholic Charities Assistant Director, Mary Anne O’Donnell, attended with two members of the Safe Streets staff. (Mary Anne was a part of the Catholic Charities decision to get involved in sponsoring four Safe Streets sites in Baltimore.)
The staff members, Corey Winfield and Mikael Kristiansen, shared how Safe Streets workers connect neighbors to services and supports, especially in the areas of behavioral health, employment, housing, and food/hunger. Corey related that much of it is done by personal relationships.
We appreciated Mary Anne’s, Corey’s and Mikael’s contributions, gave them our SSND blessing, and donated $300.00 to Safe Streets. We continue to hold them in prayer.
Read more about Catholic Charities sponsoring four Safe Streets sites.
