Good Samaritan Ministries is a tax-exempt organization,
established in 1985 by Carbondale Interfaith Council, to provide services to
the needy in the Carbondale
area. We provide an emergency shelter, a transitional housing program,
a soup kitchen, a food pantry, and an emergency assistance program. For safety
reason, persons, using drugs and alcohol are not permitted to stay in the
emergency shelter or transitional house. Susan Metcalf is our Executive
Director.
Patty Mullen is her Administrative Assistant and bookkeeper.
The emergency shelter helps homeless individuals
and families by providing free, safe, temporary housing while they seek suitable
, affordable housing . A counseling
staff member meets with each household daily to determine if additional support
services are necessary. Furniture and household goods are donated by generous
members of the community. The emergency shelter has the capacity to house 30
persons .
The emergency shelter is located at 701 S Marion. The emergency shelter is always
open. John Holt is our Shelter Coordinator. Brenda Brown is our counselor and
Eva Walker is her intern. Bobby Anderson is our Staff Supervisor. The general
staff includes; Michael Niebur, Desire Adom, Sharon O’Daniell, Raymond
Peters, Rob Roy, Jennifer Schember, Vince Stefannelli, and Elaine Thomas.
Some individuals staying in the emergency shelter
are not prepared to live independently without additional basic life skills training.
The transitional
house helps these people by providing support services for up to 24 months
to prepare them for a smooth transition into the community. These individuals
are required to
pay rent to the transitional house based upon an income
formula.
Good Samaritan Ministries offers a soup kitchen
that provides nutritionally balanced meals served three times a day, everyday
of the year to residents of the emergency
shelter. We also welcome people from the community who are hungry. The Soup
Kitchen is located at 701 S Marion. Gary Melcher runs our soup kitchen.
Our food pantry provides canned goods and perishables
to people in need. The pantry prepared and distributed 300 Christmas food baskets
to needy families.
Areas churches and civic organizations provide food and augment federal
commodities. The food pantry is located in University Baptist Church, 700 S.
Oakland.
Margie Parker is our Food Pantry Coordinator. Charlene Scott is her Food
Pantry Assistant Coordinator. And Mike Morgan is the Food Pantry Clerk.
The food pantry is open Mondays and Fridays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.
The emergency assistance program helps area residents
pay rent or utility bills to prevent them from becoming homeless. This is a one-time
assistance.
The
recipient must demonstrate the ability to maintain a normal payment schedule
in the future. In cooperation with other human service agencies, we assists
people who are working their way off the welfare rolls. Stranded travelers
may be provided with a gasoline voucher or bus ticket to assist them
in their destinations.
Please call the shelter to make an appointment
with the Prevention coordinator. Colleen Patrylo is our Prevention Coordinator.
701 South Marion Street
Carbondale.
IL 62901
(618)
457-5794
email: goodsamhouse@aol.com