Announcements dated January 29, 2012:

Meetings for Worship:

Please turn cellphones off during meeting for worship.

January 29 February 1
February 5 February 8
February 12 February 15

News of Friends, or friends of Friends:

Events/Activities:

Be sure to check out the Calendar for more events!

Other Announcements:

Talbot Interfaith Shelter Winter 2011-2012:

Our vision is that no one in Talbot County will ever have to spend a night on the streets, in a car or in the woods because he or she cannot find housing. The Talbot Interfaith Shelter is a voluntary interfaith-based service ministry in Talbot County, Maryland. We are dedicated both to providing safe, temporary shelter to men, women and children who lack adequate housing, and to raising awareness of the issues of homelessness in our community.

TIS Contact Info:
2011-2012 Shelter Sites:
Upcoming Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) Events:
Other Information:

November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month The National Center on Family Homelessness estimates that over 1.5 million children in the U.S. will experience homelessness this year. That's about one in 50 kids nationwide. Last year in Talbot County's public schools, 83 children qualified as not having a permanent home. Eleven were younger than five. Last year's needs assessment survey showed 110 homeless people on the Mid-Shore, with at least 15 of those people in Easton. That's likely a conservative estimate as the homeless are often hard to find.

The National Law Center for Homelessness and Poverty reports that the life expectancy of the average homeless person is 30 years less than other Americans,. As the Talbot Interfaith Shelter gears up for the upcoming season, it's a good time to reflect on what we, as a community, can do better to end homelessness here on the Mid-Shore.

TIS Set for Fourth Winter Season: For many people, the loss of a job, the death of a spouse, the onset of medical disabilities, or a series of wrong choices can often lead to homelessness. Struck by personal tragedies, the guests of the Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) are like the homeless in thousands of other shelters across America who need our helping hands. In 2008 a group of concerned citizens organized the TIS. Since 2009 the shelter has been open to men, women, and children who lack adequate housing during the coldest months of the year. TIS has been a rotating shelter, moving from the campus of one faith community to another every 2 weeks or so. The moving is stressful and disruptive to both guests and volunteers and, more importantly, it is not a good model for families with children. In 2010–2011, over 500 volunteers from 18 different congregations and the broader community worked together to operate the shelter from Dec. 5 to Apr. 10. During that time, 17 different guests were served. This number may seem low until you consider that only five guests can stay each night because of strict fire code regulations. A fire suppression sprinkler system is required in order to accommodate more guests. Undoubtedly, this has been the biggest obstacle for the TIS. Fire suppression sprinkler systems are expensive to install, and only one of the newer parish halls in Talbot County has one. Since the shelter closed in April, over 35 more calls for shelter have been received, some from singles and some from families. Regardless of the season, homeless persons are out there in our community. Some you may recognize from their daily presence on the streets of Easton, whereas others are hidden couch surfers, staying with family or friends until their welcome wears out and they must move on to another couch. Still others seek refuge in their automobiles if they are fortunate enough to own them. Many others live in the woods along Easton's Rails to Trails or in abandoned sheds. It is our hope that each of you will keep the homeless in mind. Consider them when you read an article in the Star Democrat and help support TIS through fundraisers and personal contributions. We would love to have you volunteer with TIS this coming year. Most of all, we hope that you will be on the lookout for a building that can accommodate the shelter and enable us to expand our services, especially to families.

Last Updated: 2/04/2012; Line by Line web design