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Shepherd’s Office is on frontlines of poverty

May 14, 2024

Our homeless outreach program called the Shepherd's Office in Georgetown grew up around the homeless who visit Georgetown to look for a job at the Georgetown Department of Labor, the Georgetown DMV to get a current state ID or a driver's license, to get their Social Security problems solved at the Georgetown SSI office, to apply for help at the Georgetown State Service Center, to resolve divorce, child support problems at the Family Courts at the Circle.

The Georgetown prison releases returning citizens and many of them are homeless and on the streets after their release and must report in regularly with the Probation & Parole Office, also located in Georgetown. If any of the homeless are suffering with health issues, there is the Georgetown La Red Health Services for the Homeless Program and the Sun Behavioral hospital next door. Once the homeless find a job, there are many local sober-living group homes all around Georgetown where the homeless with goals can stay on track. There is the local bus depot to find a way to get back and forth from a new job in another community like Lewes or Seaford. Our free meals and free clothing programs grew up around all these existing resources that have been in Georgetown for many years. 

And again, why do we provide free homemade meals and free clothing at the Shepherd's Office in Georgetown? The reason we provide free items is because we have seen that starving equals stealing. This means that vulnerable people who are crushed and starving with nothing to eat with no place to sit, stand or sleep will steal items from Royal Farms, Walmart, etc., and then could be arrested, fined or imprisoned, which leads to other high costs that we will all have to bear. One day in prison for one person costs us about $1,000!

Also, providing free food and free clothing reduce human trafficking and labor trafficking. Providing free items lifts vulnerable people up, and this reduces abuse and modern-day economic slavery. Free food and free clothes work out to be a hand up because vulnerable people will find renewed strength to find a better life with a job. Every day, we are looking out for our vulnerable neighbors and we are stepping in for their moms and dads who are no longer able to help their sons or daughters who have fallen into poverty. We give out free items on the frontlines of extreme poverty where wealth has no beginning and poverty has no end. What are your thoughts about us providing free items? Let us know what you think. We are all ears here. Let's work together to improve our community.

Jim Martin
Director and pastor
Shepherd's Office
Georgetown

 

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