SCOTT COMM
TOREWI
Ryan Hertz, executive director of the South Oakland Shelter; Julie Grodin,
coordinator of Beth Shalom Shelter Week; Rabbi Robert Gamer of Beth
Shalom
Reaching Out
Beth Shalom earns top award from
South Oakland Shelter.
C
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12
September 20 * 2012
ongregation Beth Shalom in
Oak Park received an award
as the Outstanding Partner
Congregation at the South Oakland
Shelter's annual meeting Sept. 11.
Beth Shalom hosted approximately
30 homeless South Oakland Shelter
(SOS) clients during Christmas week
last year.
Beth Shalom was chosen based on
feedback from clients, volunteers,
board members and other stake-
holder groups. This is the second year
Lathrup Village-based SOS has hon-
ored outstanding community partners.
Sixty Jewish, Catholic and Protestant
congregations volunteered to help
South Oakland Shelter during the year,
including 50 that provided housing
(two of the congregations took two
weeks). SOS uses a unique, rotating
shelter model to serve the area's home-
less population. Clients spend a week
at each participating congregation,
which is responsible for providing
rooms for sleeping, food and trans-
portation. Congregation members also
interact with the clients.
Julie Grodin of Huntington Woods
has chaired Beth Shalom's Shelter
Week for the past two years, coor-
dinating the efforts of hundreds of
volunteers.
"One of our greatest strengths
lies in our strong partnerships with
area congregations:' said Elisabeth
Mirer, SOS development director. "By
housing clients at the congregations
themselves, volunteer opportunities
are made available to those who might
not otherwise become involved with
homelessness assistance programs.
Volunteers frequently report changed
perceptions of the homeless after
working with our clients."
Mirer noted that providing physical
shelter is just one component of SOS's
approach to preventing homeless-
ness. "After over 25 years, we recognize
that homelessness cannot be stopped
by simply providing a roof and a hot
meal:' she said. "It is a cycle that must
be addressed with targeted prevention
efforts, advocacy, education and ongo-
ing support for those who have been,
are, or are in danger of becoming
homeless!'
Beth Shalom has been a host con-
gregation for almost 20 years.
"They always have wonderful people
and great food:' said Mirer. "They
have always been responsive to clients'
needs and concerns and have been
fearless about taking on new chal-
lenges."
In 2009, SOS had a gap in the host-
ing schedule during Christmas week.
Beth Shalom stepped up and took over
the week and has kept it ever since.
This week has been difficult to fill at
times, Mirer said, because many peo-
ple are out of town and churches are
often so busy that they cannot host.
"Congregation Beth Shalom took
on the challenge, and even though
the congregation membership does
not celebrate the Christmas holiday,
they kindly made special arrange-
ments to help SOS shelter guests feel
more comfortable, including having a
decorated tree. This is so important to
our shelter guests who have children,
to help them feel more at home during
Christmas!"
In 2011, Beth Shalom partnered
with an area mosque on Christmas
Day to serve Christmas dinner to the
guests. "Congregation Beth Shalom
is a true steward of our mission to
reduce the impact and prevalence of
homelessness in Southeast Michigan,"
Mirer said. ❑