A message from Our Daily Bread: 10 mentors needed (see below)

Dan: I assumed the role of Director of Catholic Charities' Our Daily Bread (ODB) in June 2005.  ODB is the largest food program for the poor in the state. serving 249,000 meals in 2006.  I am currently the Director of the Our Daily Bread Employment Center which is under construction at 725 Fallsway.  You may be able to see the building across the JFX from the Sunpapers building. ODBEC is going to make an impact on people who want to make it back to supporting themselves and their families. People who don't want to go back to prison or be in the drug business anymore. 

The mission of the Our Daily Bread Employment Center is to improve lives by connecting them (in one place no less) to resources, serving daily meals and supporting efforts toward stable employment and housing. The Center will be home to

        *       Our Daily Bread dining room,
        *       Christopher Place Employment Academy, an 18-month residential program which provides training for job readiness and independent living for formerly homeless men;

        *       St. Jude's Employment Center which provides assistance for low- and unskilled workers to secure employment while helping to improve skills and address their barriers to success on the job with a goal of sustained employment at a living wage.

        *       In addition, the ODBEC will offer on-site services through other providers for Literacy/GED training, transitional work, recovery support services, mental health and physical health services, transportation services and the Maryland Re-Entry Program for men being released from prison.

When the Center opens in mid-May there will be many opportunities for Baltimoreans to become involved.  I hope we can keep in touch as this develops because ODBEC is going to offer real solutions for people.

But we are dependent upon volunteers to play a major role. 

Right now, there are 10 men in the current Christopher Place "class" who are need of mentors as they approach job readiness.  When they begin the job search process there will be the opportunity for local employers to provide jobs for the men.  It's important that prospective employers know that ODBEC staff work with the men to ensure their success in the workplace.  In the ten years since Christopher Place began it has assisted over 400 men in finding stable employment. Anyone interested in helping with these two requests can call me at 410-261-6776.

I worked for 32 years as a student affairs administrator at several different colleges of various sizes.  I was often unsure as to whether I was having a positive impact on the students with whom I worked.  At Our Daily Bread, I leave work every day knowing that in some small way, with the help of almost 200 good volunteers, we have improved the lives of 700 hundred people who really need our help at least for the day.  In the new ODBEC we will be working hard to help people break the cycle of poverty and move toward being productive members of the community.

I would really like to talk about how we can work together to get folks to understand and to take a role in reducing the heartbreaking impact of violence in Baltimore.  The frustration that some of your readers -- and some of the men you have heard from -- is the same that we feel.  The only thing is, Catholic Charities is actually doing something about it.  This new Center will be the first major resource opportunity for these guys and we really need the community to support it with sweat equity and funds. 

Dennis M. Murphy
Director
Our Daily Bread Employment Center
2305 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-5128
410-261-6776
FAX: 410-889-0203

Preach the Gospel at all times.  When necessary, use words.
Saint Francis of Assisi