Yearly archive for 2021

Haven Ministries – One Woman’s Journey from Homelessness

By Amelia Blades Steward

Linda Bartholomew, age 44, of Grasonville has been homeless since 2013. She has had a genetic disorder since birth that affects one in a million people, leaving her in constant daily pain. The pain went untreated and she became addicted to marijuana and opioids at a young age before developing a heroin addiction later in her life. The addiction ultimately caused her to lose her three children and her home.

After getting clean in 2019, Linda felt the time was right and reached out to Sandi Wiscott, Director of Operations and Case Management at Haven Ministries in Stevensville, to start case management. Through support from Haven Ministries, Linda has gotten her own apartment and created a stable life for herself.

“I had seen Sandi help others and decided to reach out to her in April 2020. I knew I couldn’t ask for help until I was clean. I was tired of living with that gorilla on my back,” Linda comments.

“Sandi helped me out tremendously – helping me find a place to live and getting the medical care I needed at Johns Hopkins. She is the only one in my life who ever went to bat for me.”

Linda’s trip to Johns Hopkins confirmed her rare genetic disorder, which had never been diagnosed. The diagnosis will play a part in helping her to qualify for disability. The disorder causes Linda’s bones to be malformed. She has grown five full sets of teeth in her lifetime, which have had to be pulled; was born without any collarbone; has constant nerve pain from bone deformities, and even at one point became temporarily blind due to high blood pressure.

“I knew she shouldn’t live like this. She stayed in the Haven Ministries Homeless Shelter during the pandemic and received assistance through its case management program. We are happy to say that when the shelter season ended on May 1, everyone left with a place to call home,” states Sandi.

“I was living on workboats at the Narrows – it was all I knew and I felt safe there. My grandfather was a waterman. The watermen at the Narrows, however, had a betting pool about when I would die because of my lifestyle,” Linda reflects.

Sandi adds that Linda is very proud and initially didn’t want to get help from any agency. Her ethics and moral code had always been important to her. She soon learned, however, that there were people who wanted to help her.

“She has a big heart and is always giving back to her own network of people,” Wescott adds.

“The world has enough people who are not nice and I don’t need to be one of them. Respect, honesty, and loyalty don’t cost anything. I don’t judge anyone as I haven’t walked in their shoes,” Linda states.

“I was living wrong for so long and it didn’t get me anywhere. And now that I am living right, I am getting somewhere. My friends are seeing my progress and even the workboat community sees what I have accomplished.”

For information on Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call 410-739-4363

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Haven Ministries Celebrates First Anniversary in New Headquarters

Haven Ministries is celebrating the first anniversary of its new headquarters on July 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. at its location at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown (behind the Royal Farms). The open house celebration will include refreshments, tours of the organization’s headquarters, resource center, and food pantry, as well as information on Queen Anne’s County resources and job information.

“This event is to bring awareness to the public about our resources. We were not able to have our grand opening of the building because of the pandemic last year, so we are excited to share our facility with the public and our growing list of partners,” states Mary Jeeter, case manager for Haven Ministries.

“Without our community partners, this would not have been possible. We are grateful to the representatives from the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners, Queen Anne’s County Emergency Services, Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, the Queen Anne’s County Health Department, among others, who really supported us through this project,” adds Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

The Queen Anne’s County Health Department will be on hand at the celebration with information about Narcan and other resources. The headquarters building also provides free artwork and books, provided by Wye Parish Episcopal Church, for clients needing these items.

For further information, visit haven-ministries.org or call the Haven Ministries headquarters at 410-827-7194.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Haven Ministries is rebranding its Friends monthly giving program. Through the new “Sow the Seeds of Hope” Campaign, individuals and small businesses are encouraged to make monthly contributions of $10 a month to support Haven Ministries’ current programs and new expenses associated with its Homes of Hope, an expansion of its upcoming Housing Assistance Program.

“Our ‘Sow the Seeds of Hope’ Campaign will help us provide shelter, food, clothing and support for our vulnerable community members. It will also help people who are having difficulty finding affordable housing, connecting them to the appropriate services and eventually to permanent housing solutions,” states Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

“It’s an easy way to continually support Haven Ministries without making a big dent in the pocketbook at any one time,” states Janet Crutchley of Stevensville.

Kim Hannon, Owner of Ophiuroidea at Kent Narrows and St. Michaels, adds, “Ophiuroidea has been a Haven Ministries ‘Friends’ business partner for many years through their monthly donation plan.   It’s a great and easy way to support their mission every month!”

Haven Ministries operates Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville and Hope Warehouse in Queenstown to benefit the agency’s outreach programs in Queen Anne’s County, including its upcoming housing assistance program, resource center, food pantries, street outreach, and seasonal shelter. Its Homes of Hope – two new single-family homes are currently being constructed in Stevensville.

Those who contribute to the “Sow the Seeds of Hope” Campaign will be entered to win one bushel of crabs and an outdoor high-pressure jet cooker valued at $350. The drawing will be held on Wine Down Wednesday, August 4 at Hemingway’s Restaurant in Stevensville. This fundraiser event starts at 5:30 p.m. and includes music by the Unified Jazz Ensemble.  Tickets are available at Haven-ministries.org for $25 per person to include a signature drink and hors d’ oeuvres.  The winner of the drawing does not need to be present to win.

For further information, visit haven-ministries.org or call Krista Pettit at 410-739-4363.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Haven Ministries’ New Mobile Food Pantry Truck Offers Hope to Northern Queen Anne’s County Residents

Haven Ministries is operating a new Mobile Food Pantry Truck where residents in northern Queen Anne’s County can go and “shop” for needed food items. The “store on wheels” will be parked at Faith Bible Church at 407 Dudley Corner Road in Sudlersville every week on Tuesdays and Fridays, offering a selection of non-cooked food items for area residents. 

“During the timeframe of opening our Headquarters in Queenstown, Haven Ministries was invited into the northern part of Queen Anne’s County as a trusted community partner to help with food distribution. Haven Ministries partners with The Judy Center/Queen Anne’s County Public Schools to supply food to this part of the county. Our drive-thru food model averaged about 110 people every month,” states Krista Pettit, executive director of Haven Ministries. 

“Having a vehicle outfitted with shelves, so it is essentially a store on wheels, enables us to provide consistency, efficiency, and more dignity in the process of food distribution. It offers individuals greater food options and minimizes food waste. The truck will also enable us to move into any part of the community experiencing a disaster to respond to essential needs.” 

The Haven Ministries Food Pantry Truck will be at the Faith Bible Church on Tuesdays from 12 noon until 7 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Food Pantry Truck is open by appointment only and the hours are subject to change depending on the appointment times. Scheduling helps ensure the health and safety of volunteers, staff, and clients. Appointments can be made by calling 410-827-7194.  Residents are asked to bring a photo ID to participate.

With increased demands for its food pantries and overall services in Queen Anne’s County, Haven Ministries relocated its food pantries from Stevensville and Centreville, along with its Centreville Resource Center, to a new Food Pantry/Resource Center at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown in July. Along with the Food Pantry Truck, the headquarters is helping meet the growing need for assistance. The CARES Fund helped with the opening of the headquarters and purchasing of the Food Pantry Truck for northern Queen Anne’s County.

Pettit adds, “The need is there in northern Queen Anne’s County and we are trying to meet that need.”

For further information on the Food Pantry Truck, visit haven-ministries.org or call 410-827-7194. Anyone wishing to volunteer for the Food Pantry Truck can call Gail Lundberg at 410-443-7696 or email [email protected].

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.