Interfaith Committee volunteer Sandy Rowland works in the laundry truck, cleaning and folding clothing each Tuesday and Friday at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. Photo provided
By Janis Fontaine
Judy Fenney and Kathleen Megan met 10 years ago at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach. Fenney mentioned to Megan that she was interested in volunteer work, and Megan put her to work immediately.
Their camaraderie and friendship grew, and they made a good pair with their positive attitudes, ready smiles and calm demeanors. They stepped up whenever and wherever they were needed — and they still do.
Seven years ago, the duo started the Interfaith Committee for Social Services to fill the void left by the scaling back of the CROS Ministries Caring Kitchen.
The Interfaith Committee generally meets twice a month at St. Paul’s Episcopal, the same place it had its first meeting, on Nov. 15, 2017.
One of the first projects was to find a shower truck where homeless people could bathe on a regular basis. In 2018, the committee acquired a well-used truck that still had some life in it and offered the homeless population a place to shower twice a week.
Then in June, the committee raised enough money for a new four-stall (each with a toilet and vanity) shower truck, where up to 25 people shower each Tuesday and Friday outside St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Fenney said.
At a September committee meeting, representatives from St. Paul’s, St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, Spanish River Church, Recovery Church, Temple Torah, the Delray Beach Police Department, plus Shona Castillo from the Caring Kitchen and Jackie Ermola from Eat Better Live Better, were present. The program focused on unhoused veterans, a growing issue.
The percentage of homeless who are veterans is rising, the Bob Woodruff Foundation, a veterans advocacy group, reported in April. “Specific to veterans, Florida also has the third-largest population in the nation, approximately 1.4 million. With 7% of the nation’s homeless veteran population, Florida is also ranked one of the five worst states for veteran homelessness.”
Homelessness is increasing across the board, for both single people and families. Rising housing costs and increases in homeowners association dues are pushing some fixed- and low-income folks over the edge.
Ermola sees it. “We’ve always had need, but I’ve never seen need like this,” she said.
But Delray Beach is special, Fenney and Megan say. An attitude of cooperation and ability to operate as a cohesive unit instead of component parts make a difference.
“We want to do more than pay someone’s electric bill. We want to help people become self-sufficient,” Fenney said. But it’s hard when the cost of being self-reliant keeps going up.
Another problem they have is letting people know when and where they can find services. “We’re known as the shower truck people,” Fenney said, “but we do so much more than that.”
For example, volunteers wash, dry and fold laundry, serve sandwiches and provide a caring outlet for people who want to talk.
Rodrianna Antoine, an intake specialist for the Delray Beach Police Community Outreach team, signs people up for the services and helps them navigate the government rules and paperwork as painlessly as possible.
Sandy Rowland volunteers on the laundry truck, using two stackable washer-and-dryers nonstop to clean her clients’ clothing. Volunteers use a military method of putting all one person’s clothing in a drawstring bag with a two-part tag. One stays on the laundry and the other stays with the person. Turn in your tag, then pick up your laundered clothes.
Rowland used to run a beauty salon before COVID killed that business. She’s happy she found a way to serve. Of her fellow volunteers she says, “It takes someone with passion to serve the homeless. I think the volunteers are the winners.”
Jonathan Pereira Neves is one of just a few employees and he does the heavy lifting, moving boxes of donated clothes, fixing broken equipment, and cleaning up the lot after everything is put away, all in good humor.
Some of the unhoused like to enjoy breakfast at Cason United Methodist Church at the corner of Lake Ida Road and Swinton Avenue, and if it’s raining like it was on a recent Tuesday, the church brought the people down to the shower and laundry vans at St. Matthew’s.
Interfaith is about helping each other, making contacts and building relationships, Father Bernie Pecaro of St. Paul’s said. The former Navy chaplain reminded everyone at the meeting that St. Paul’s Veterans Ministry is committed to helping both veterans and active duty in need.
In 2022, the Interfaith Committee, along with CROS Ministries Caring Kitchen and the Delray Beach Police Community Outreach, won the Community Collaborators Award given by Nonprofits First. It was a testament to the work they do together to make positive change in Delray.
“We want to help the homeless find out where their next step is going to be,” Fenney said. And, she added, if they can intercede early enough, maybe they can prevent homelessness.
The Interfaith Committee has limited funds to help with necessities like bus passes and bike locks, but it does provide a place to get mail for people who have no address — and they can count on the shower truck being at St. Matthew’s, 404 SW Third Ave., from 9 to 11 a.m. every Tuesday and Friday.
How to help
Cash donations: Are used exclusively for the nonprofit’s program operations, supplies and expenses.
Clothing donations: Needs include men’s boxer briefs, shorts, and jeans in sizes 32, 34 and 36. Backpacks are also needed.
Volunteers: Are needed to help in a variety of positions, such as sorting donations, doing clerical tasks and manning special events.
Info: interfaithcommittee.com
Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events.Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com.
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