Jack Gottschalk Appointed Haven Ministries Board of Directors President

Jack Gottschalk Appointed Haven Ministries Board of Directors President

Jack Gottschalk Appointed Haven Ministries Board of Directors President

Jack Gottschalk of Wye Mills has been appointed President of the Haven Ministries Board of Directors. Gottschalk served as a business consultant and has also held several executive-level positions in Fortune 500 corporations that included plastics, rubber, military products, electronics, railroad, education, food, and health care. He worked with the Hershey Foods Corporation and retired from Children’s National Medical Center as Vice President of Human Resources. He holds a Ph.D. in Organization Behavior and a master’s degree in Human Resources. He has served on the Haven Ministries Board of Directors for three years.

“While serving on the Board of Directors, I quickly discovered how sincerely and completely committed our leadership, staff, volunteers, and member churches are to fulfilling God’s work by helping others. It is so very rewarding for our entire team to know we are directly making a difference in the lives of others,” Gottschalk comments.

Gottschalk is working with Haven Ministries Executive Director to improve efficiencies in its programs to meet the growing needs for assisting men, women, and children in Queen Anne’s County caught in the cycle of poverty.

“Peter and I would like to continue the great work and tradition of our founder Krista Pettit and we will look for growth opportunities that will enhance the services that Haven Ministries provides to our community,” Gottschalk adds.

“We are thrilled to have Jack as our Board President. He brings tremendous experience from a wide range of business environments and can lead us to creative solutions as we continue to grow our organization,” states Peter Grim, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

Pictured is Jack Gottschalk of Wye Mills, the new Board President of Haven Ministries.

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 Store in Chester, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

 

Haven Ministries Recognizes National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Month

Haven Ministries is recognizing National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Month

As we enter the season of giving, Haven Ministries recognizes November as National Homeslessness and Hunger Month and is asking the public to support its efforts in sheltering and feeding Queen Anne’s County residents in need by participating in the year-end giving program.

Through its new Homes of Hope in Stevensville, which opened in June, Haven Ministries is providing clients with affordable housing while leading them to a permanent housing solution. While participating in the Haven Ministries Housing Assistance Program, participants work closely with a Haven Ministries case manager to ensure that they are positioned for success to secure safe and stable long-term housing once their respective program period is over, usually within two years.

“To date, both homes are filled and staff is working with clients toward long-term housing solutions. We are thrilled with being able to implement our Housing Assistance Program. The need for affordable housing on the Mid-Shore has never been greater and we rely upon our donors to help us bridge the gap,” comments Peter Grim, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

Individuals and families who live in Queen Anne’s County can apply for the program, must pass the background checks, pay a program fee, and voluntarily agree to work with a case manager. Haven Ministries will connect participants to area resources such as education, jobs, and job training, allowing individuals and families to stabilize, build up their resources, and successfully move on toward safe and affordable housing.

In addition to Homes of Hope, Haven Ministries is continuing to operate its seasonal shelter at Kent Island Methodist Church in Stevensville to offer emergency overnight safe and warm accommodations for individuals and families who do not have a dedicated location in which to sleep. The shelter operates from October through April each year.

In addition to shelter needs, Haven Ministries is seeing a growing need for food pantry items at its Food Pantry/Resource Center location at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown. Haven Ministries also operates a Mobile Food Pantry Truck where residents in northern Queen Anne’s County can go and “shop” for needed food items. The “store on wheels” is parked at Faith Bible Church at 407 Dudley Corner Road in Sudlersville every week on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., offering a selection of non-cooked food items for area residents.  Haven Ministries partners with The Judy Center/Queen Anne’s County Public Schools to supply food to this part of the county.

“The demand for food items at both these locations has increased by 40 percent since the pandemic began. We are now serving an average of 500 people per month through our food pantry program. The need is great and we rely upon the public’s support to keep up with this growing demand,” adds Grim.

Financial donations between now and December 2, 2023, will be matched up to $15,000.  To support the Housing Assistance and Food Pantry Programs, call 410-827-7194 or make an online donation before December 2, 2022, making your dollars go even further.

DONATE HERE 

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 Chester, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

 

Left: Pictured are Melanie and Cameron Lednum who are residents in one of the Haven Ministries’ Homes of Hope

Right:Pictured is Tina Trice in Haven Ministries’ Queenstown Food Pantry