Haven Ministries is celebrating the first anniversary of its new headquarters on July 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. at its location at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown (behind the Royal Farms). The open house celebration will include refreshments, tours of the organization’s headquarters, resource center, and food pantry, as well as information on Queen Anne’s County resources and job information.

“This event is to bring awareness to the public about our resources. We were not able to have our grand opening of the building because of the pandemic last year, so we are excited to share our facility with the public and our growing list of partners,” states Mary Jeeter, case manager for Haven Ministries.

“Without our community partners, this would not have been possible. We are grateful to the representatives from the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners, Queen Anne’s County Emergency Services, Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, the Queen Anne’s County Health Department, among others, who really supported us through this project,” adds Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

The Queen Anne’s County Health Department will be on hand at the celebration with information about Narcan and other resources. The headquarters building also provides free artwork and books, provided by Wye Parish Episcopal Church, for clients needing these items.

For further information, visit haven-ministries.org or call the Haven Ministries headquarters at 410-827-7194.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Haven Ministries is rebranding its Friends monthly giving program. Through the new “Sow the Seeds of Hope” Campaign, individuals and small businesses are encouraged to make monthly contributions of $10 a month to support Haven Ministries’ current programs and new expenses associated with its Homes of Hope, an expansion of its upcoming Housing Assistance Program.

“Our ‘Sow the Seeds of Hope’ Campaign will help us provide shelter, food, clothing and support for our vulnerable community members. It will also help people who are having difficulty finding affordable housing, connecting them to the appropriate services and eventually to permanent housing solutions,” states Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

“It’s an easy way to continually support Haven Ministries without making a big dent in the pocketbook at any one time,” states Janet Crutchley of Stevensville.

Kim Hannon, Owner of Ophiuroidea at Kent Narrows and St. Michaels, adds, “Ophiuroidea has been a Haven Ministries ‘Friends’ business partner for many years through their monthly donation plan.   It’s a great and easy way to support their mission every month!”

Photo: Taryn Chase, Managing Director Communication & Outreach for Haven Ministries, with the outdoor high-pressure jet cooker which will be given away, along with a bushel of crabs, to the winner of a drawing at the organization’s Wine Down Wednesday event on August 4 at Hemingway’s Restaurant.

Haven Ministries operates Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville and Hope Warehouse in Queenstown to benefit the agency’s outreach programs in Queen Anne’s County, including its upcoming housing assistance program, resource center, food pantries, street outreach, and seasonal shelter. Its Homes of Hope – two new single-family homes are currently being constructed in Stevensville.

Those who contribute to the “Sow the Seeds of Hope” Campaign will be entered to win one bushel of crabs and an outdoor high-pressure jet cooker valued at $350. The drawing will be held on Wine Down Wednesday, August 4 at Hemingway’s Restaurant in Stevensville. This fundraiser event starts at 5:30 p.m. and includes music by the Unified Jazz Ensemble.  Tickets are available at Haven-ministries.org for $25 per person to include a signature drink and hors d’ oeuvres.  The winner of the drawing does not need to be present to win.

For further information, visit haven-ministries.org or call Krista Pettit at 410-739-4363.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Linda Bartholomew, age 44, of Grasonville has been homeless since 2013. She has had a genetic disorder since birth that affects one in a million people, leaving her in constant daily pain. The pain went untreated and she became addicted to marijuana and opioids at a young age before developing a heroin addiction later in her life. The addiction ultimately caused her to lose her three children and her home.

After getting clean in 2019, Linda felt the time was right and reached out to Sandi Wiscott, Director of Operations and Case Management at Haven Ministries in Stevensville, to start case management. Through support from Haven Ministries, Linda has gotten her own apartment and created a stable life for herself.

“I had seen Sandi help others and decided to reach out to her in April 2020. I knew I couldn’t ask for help until I was clean. I was tired of living with that gorilla on my back,” Linda comments.

“Sandi helped me out tremendously – helping me find a place to live and getting the medical care I needed at Johns Hopkins. She is the only one in my life who ever went to bat for me.”

Linda’s trip to Johns Hopkins confirmed her rare genetic disorder, which had never been diagnosed. The diagnosis will play a part in helping her to qualify for disability. The disorder causes Linda’s bones to be malformed. She has grown five full sets of teeth in her lifetime, which have had to be pulled; was born without any collarbone; has constant nerve pain from bone deformities, and even at one point became temporarily blind due to high blood pressure.

“I knew she shouldn’t live like this. She stayed in the Haven Ministries Homeless Shelter during the pandemic and received assistance through its case management program. We are happy to say that when the shelter season ended on May 1, everyone left with a place to call home,” states Sandi.

“I was living on workboats at the Narrows – it was all I knew and I felt safe there. My grandfather was a waterman. The watermen at the Narrows, however, had a betting pool about when I would die because of my lifestyle,” Linda reflects.

Sandi adds that Linda is very proud and initially didn’t want to get help from any agency. Her ethics and moral code had always been important to her. She soon learned, however, that there were people who wanted to help her.

“She has a big heart and is always giving back to her own network of people,” Wescott adds.

“The world has enough people who are not nice and I don’t need to be one of them. Respect, honesty, and loyalty don’t cost anything. I don’t judge anyone as I haven’t walked in their shoes,” Linda states.

“I was living wrong for so long and it didn’t get me anywhere. And now that I am living right, I am getting somewhere. My friends are seeing my progress and even the workboat community sees what I have accomplished.”

For information on Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call 410-739-4363.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Giving back is important during these times. One local nonprofit, Haven Ministries, is offering Shore residents and visitors resale shopping where shoppers can pay it forward to those in need. Haven Ministries Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville and Hope Warehouse in Queenstown offer affordable merchandise and the purchases benefit the agency’s outreach programs in Queen Anne’s County, including its housing assistance program, resource center, food pantries, street outreach, and seasonal shelter.

Our Daily Thread Thrift Store has been providing quality name-brand clothing and household goods at deeply discounted prices for eight years. Clothing includes men’s and women’s casual clothing and coats, as well as accessories such as costume jewelry, shoes, handbags, scarves, and hats. The store also offers household kitchen items like small appliances, flatware, dishes, pots and pans, as well as collectibles, and toys, puzzles and a small number of books.

“Shoppers like the store because it looks like a boutique. We pay attention to our displays and they are beautiful. Our customers appreciate our new and gently worn clothing and quality items,” states Liz Bazzell, Store Manager for Our Daily Thread which has a loyal following of both locals and those just passing through on their way to the beach. Some people make a day of it and have lunch somewhere nearby after they shop.”

“We also have dedicated donors who like to donate because the money raised helps to support those in need.”

Our Daily Thread Thrift Store volunteer Linda Sheets of Grasonville, who began buying items from the shop for her antique store, now creates the shop’s displays, as well as works there. She comments, “Working in a thrift store is therapy for those of us who work here, as well as for the people who shop with us. Haven Ministries is a wonderful mission to support and the shop is a place for people to give back to the community.”

Haven Ministries’ newest resale business is Hope Warehouse which opened two and a half years ago in Queenstown. Hope Warehouse offers used appliances, furniture, tools, and building supplies for purchase at a lower cost.

“We have had a constant growth in donations and sales since we opened. Hope Warehouse appeals to people just starting their homes, people starting over, or people buying items to refinish and resell,” comments Susan Phillips, Hope Warehouse Manager.

The most popular items at Hope Warehouse are furniture, tools and small building supplies, as well as household items like mirrors, lamps, rugs, and appliances. Phillips adds, “It’s like your grandfather’s garage – a great place to find collectible tools. But we also have decorative items as well. During COVID, people are working on their homes and are changing things up. Many people are looking for project pieces and we have them. There is always something on sale every month which attracts shoppers as well.”

“We are a blessed society right now and have had nice things donated this year. Donors are encouraged to call for an appointment before dropping off items.”

Hope Warehouse is in need right now of able-bodied volunteers to help with lifting furniture, as well as volunteers to work at the register and to stage the items for sale.

Hope Warehouse, located at 6527 Friels Road in Queenstown (behind the Queenstown Outlets), is open Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed. For further information or to volunteer or donate, contact Susan Phillips at HopeWarehouse@Haven-Ministries.org or call 410-490-8498.

Our Daily Thread Thrift Store, located at 425 Thompson Creek Road in Stevensville (behind the Cracker Barrel restaurant), is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and donations are accepted every day until 3 p.m. People wishing to donate should call Liz Bazzell ahead at 410-353-0455 to make arrangements.

Both the Thrift Store and Hope Warehouse are complying with COVID-19 guidelines to provide a safe shopping experience for customers.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Haven Ministries is operating a new Mobile Food Pantry Truck where residents in northern Queen Anne’s County can go and “shop” for needed food items. The “store on wheels” will be parked at Faith Bible Church at 407 Dudley Corner Road in Sudlersville every week on Tuesdays and Fridays, offering a selection of non-cooked food items for area residents.

“During the timeframe of opening our Headquarters in Queenstown, Haven Ministries was invited into the northern part of Queen Anne’s County as a trusted community partner to help with food distribution. Haven Ministries partners with The Judy Center/Queen Anne’s County Public Schools to supply food to this part of the county. Our drive-thru food model averaged about 110 people every month,” states Krista Pettit, executive director of Haven Ministries.

“Having a vehicle outfitted with shelves, so it is essentially a store on wheels, enables us to provide consistency, efficiency, and more dignity in the process of food distribution. It offers individuals greater food options and minimizes food waste. The truck will also enable us to move into any part of the community experiencing a disaster to respond to essential needs.”

The Haven Ministries Food Pantry Truck will be at the Faith Bible Church on Tuesdays from 12 noon until 7 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Food Pantry Truck is open by appointment only and the hours are subject to change depending on the appointment times. Scheduling helps ensure the health and safety of volunteers, staff, and clients. Appointments can be made by calling 410-827-7194.  Residents are asked to bring a photo ID to participate.

With increased demands for its food pantries and overall services in Queen Anne’s County, Haven Ministries relocated its food pantries from Stevensville and Centreville, along with its Centreville Resource Center, to a new Food Pantry/Resource Center at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown in July. Along with the Food Pantry Truck, the headquarters is helping meet the growing need for assistance. The CARES Fund helped with the opening of the headquarters and purchasing of the Food Pantry Truck for northern Queen Anne’s County.

Pettit adds, “The need is there in northern Queen Anne’s County and we are trying to meet that need.”

For further information on the Food Pantry Truck, visit haven-ministries.org or call 410-827-7194. Anyone wishing to volunteer for the Food Pantry Truck can call Gail Lundberg at 410-443-7696 or email gail@haven-ministries.com.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Finding affordable housing in Queen Anne’s County can be challenging. The median rent in the county is approximately $1600 a month, $131 above the national average for rent, and the median home price is approximately $329,000, considerably higher than the national median home price of $231,200. Research from the National Low-Income Housing Coalition also reports that 71% of extremely low-income households spend more than 50% of their income on rent. Haven Ministries has announced that it will be providing improvements to properties in Stevensville this fall to operate a housing assistance program that will support local residents when affordable housing is unattainable.

While participating in the Housing Assistance Program, participants will work closely with a Haven Ministries case manager to ensure that they are positioned for success to secure safe and stable long-term housing once their respective program period is over, usually within two years. Individuals and families who live in Queen Anne’s County can apply for the program, must pass the background checks, pay a program fee, and voluntarily agree to work with a case manager. Haven Ministries will connect participants to area resources such as education, jobs, and job training allowing individuals and families to stabilize, build up their resources, and successfully move on toward safe and affordable housing.

“We are thrilled to have found properties on which to build two beautiful, single family homes, one on each lot, within which to operate the Housing Assistance Program.  The homes will be called Homes of Hope because that is what they are providing – HOPE. The project will provide significant improvements to the properties while also beautifying the neighborhood. In addition, we will be able to connect people who are having difficulty finding affordable housing to the appropriate services and eventually to permanent housing solutions,” said Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

Haven Ministries will continue to operate its seasonal shelter at Kent Island Methodist Church in Stevensville to offer emergency overnight safe and warm accommodations for individuals and families that do not have a dedicated location in which to sleep. Although both of these programs are important programs, they each serve a different population of community members with different needs.

According to Pettit, housing instability can include trouble paying rent or a mortgage, moving frequently due to the lack of affordable housing, or spending a majority of household income on housing. Because Queen Anne’s county is lacking affordable housing, Haven Ministries is stepping up to meet the urgent needs facing many county residents.

Haven Ministries Housing Assistance Program is being funded by private donations and grants, including those from foundations made directly to Haven Ministries, and through major fundraising activities. A program fee will also be collected from the Housing Assistance Program clients approved for the program. There are many local businesses, which the organization plans to recognize soon, who have contributed supplies and/or labor, such as Lundberg Builders, Torchio Architects, Lane Engineering, and Increte. Haven Ministries also invites other companies to partner with them.

Pettit added, “We appreciate the community stepping up and recognizing the need for affordable housing in this county, as well as supporting our Housing Assistance Program. We hope others will join those who have already made donations in support of this important program.”

For further information about donating or becoming a Business Partner of Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call Krista Pettit at 410-739-4363.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries. Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Resource Center at Fisher Manor.

Haven Ministries has announced it will be hosting a Harvest of Hope Online Auction between November 12 and November 14 to benefit its essential services. Participants will be able to purchase one-of-a-kind art, jewelry, accessories, dining options, indoor and outdoor experiences like wine tastings and spa treatments, and sports memorabilia.

There is something for everyone in the online auction with items ranging in price from $30 to $1000. Special items include sporting clay lessons for two at The Point at Pintail, a half-day light tackle or fly fishing experience with up to three anglers on the Chesapeake Bay with Anglers Connection Guide Services, Raven’s sports swag, and a romantic get-a-way for two at the Kent Manor Inn and diamond stud earrings from TNT Jewelers. Proceeds from the Harvest of Hope event will provide HOPE through shelter, food, clothing, and support to area residents.

According to Taryn Chase, Haven Ministries Business and Marketing Development Director, “This event is in response to the cancellation this year of both our Best Girlfriend Night Out and Beef, Bonfires and Cigars annual events. Both were extremely important to funding the services we provide, which have continued to grow during the pandemic.”

“The community has stepped up to help us meet this increased demand for services. We are especially appreciative of the generosity of our business partners and local businesses.”

The Harvest of Hope Auction Preview opens November 1. Participants can register online at Haven-Ministries.org. Winning auction items can be picked up after the auction by contacting Taryn Chase at 410-490-0925.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Resource Center at Fisher Manor.

Spunkwear, a local apparel company based on Kent Island, had to pivot its business last spring with the arrival of COVID-19. Sheilah Ruppert, the founder of Spunkwear, got creative and designed a new line of facemasks that are lightweight, offering breathability and comfort, but which are also fun and stylish.

“When we turned our attention to making masks, I decided that we’d donate a portion of sales to Haven Ministries. I’ve always been impressed with the uplifting work they do and the dignified manner in which they serve our community” states Ruppert.

Over the summer, the sales of Spunkwear’s masks for men, women, and children, as well as neck gaiters, took off. The company gained recognition regionally and nationally and was even featured on the television show, “The View,” this past July. To date, Spunkwear has donated $18,490 to Haven Ministries.

Since March, Haven Ministries has seen an increased need for its programs and services throughout Queen Anne’s County. The Shelter has remained open throughout 2020 serving 52 people, including 12 children.  Over 3500 people in Queen Anne’s County have received 81,516 pounds of food and Haven Ministries has provided over $23,000 of financial assistance to its neighbors. As the winter months near, the organization is hoping that other local businesses will step up as business partners as Spunkwear has done.

“We can’t begin to thank Spunkwear for their generous support during this time. As we move into the fall and winter months, we will have a continued need for funds to support shelter, food, clothing, and resources for those challenged by COVID.  As residents of Queen Anne’s County continue to struggle with finding affordable housing, we will also require funds for housing assistance,” comments Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

For further information about donating or becoming a Business Partner of Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call Krista Pettit at 410-739-4363.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center and Food Pantry at 206 Del Rhodes Avenue in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store in Stevensville, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Resource Center at Fisher Manor.