My Nonprofit Reviews
Kurt Jacobs
Review for Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington, Washington, DC, USA
This review is for the Food and Shelter 2010 campaign. I have been a representative from my parish to Samaritan Minstry for 8 years, and a Board member for 4 years. I am currently President of the Board of Samaritan Ministry. I have seen how its Next Step program builds up a sense of self-worth and empowerment in those who come to Samaritan Ministry for help. The Next Step program gives individual attention to each program participant and helps each determine for themselves what their next steps need to be -- such as getting a GED, obtaining a non-driver id card, finishing their resume, finding permanent housing, and applying on-line for jobs using the computers at Samaritan Ministry. I helped one ex-offender who thought he was barred from practicing his vocation as a medical therapist determine that there was no legal bar, and he just needed to study and retake his boards to restart his career again. The Next Step program not only gives extraordinary one-on-one help to participants, it enables volunteers to give extraordinary one-on-one help, thereby enriching enormously the lives of those who volunteer at Samaritan Ministry.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Enabling me to personally help program participants, and to hear participants deliver their personal stories about how they have been helped by Samaritan Ministry. I have also experienced the increasing support from individuals for this organization, and the increased numbers of parishes and organizations that have been impressed by the results Samaritan Ministry achieves in finding housing, jobs, and rehabilitation services for participants in its Next Step program.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Run a capital campaign to pay off its Northwest Office mortgage, and strive to expand its Maryland base of support to open a fourth office in southern Maryland near the D.C. border.
