Haven Ministries Resource Center at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 301 S. Liberty Street in Centreville, MD, was established to offer a place of referral and case management services to residents of Queen Anne’s County who need information on financial counseling, job training, and wellness, as well as limited pastoral counseling and enrichment classes.
The Resource Center’s classes are meeting the growing needs of the community, including everything from budget and financial workshops to empowerment workshops for recovering addicts. There is something for everyone. According to Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries, “We are also trying to connect with community organizations that might want to bring their clients to benefit from some of our classes, including recovery groups, social services organizations, health departments, schools and nonprofits.”
Haven Ministries’ classes were originally offered to its shelter guests as a way to engage them as they transitioned to more permanent housing and employment – providing encouragement and information to assist them in their journey. As the Resource Center grew, the classes became available to anyone in need of resources to help them with their lives.
According to Jessica McCarthy, Case Manager for Haven Ministries, the classes benefit people of all ages. The job readiness workshops focus on resume building, job searching, and interview skills. There are even classes to teach people about healthy relationships, healthy boundaries, and visioning their future.
McCarthy states, “The space at St. Paul’s lends itself so well to workshops and we really have been successful with our offerings. People often come back to us after a workshop and work with us individually on issues or needs that they may have.”
Edwin Gibbs, another Case Manager for Haven Ministries, links people to resources and coordinates activities for shelter guests. His empowerment workshops for recovering addicts being treated at the A. F. Whitsitt Center in Chestertown have a growing following. He says, “These three-hour workshops give addicts tools to work with when they complete their treatment. We focus on teaching life skills to help them maneuver back into society. Workshop topics include fear, shame and guilt, coping mechanisms, employment, transitional housing, accessing medical resources, and building relationships.”
Participants of Gibbs’ empowerment workshops are mostly 19 to 30 years of age and a majority of them are women. Gibbs adds, “People who attend the workshops open up with me. They enjoy the relaxed environment of the Resource Center and often use the tools we provide to help as they finalize completion of their treatment at the Whitsitt Center. It’s all about self-awareness and that is the work of the Spirit.”
In addition to empowerment workshops, the Resource Center also offers classes in cooking and therapeutic art projects, as well as prayer lunches. For further information on the Haven Ministries Resource Center or a list of available classes, contact Krista Pettit at 410-739-4363.
Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries. Haven Ministries operates a Resource Center at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with job training, educational programming, and case management services. The Haven Ministries Food Pantry is held on the third Friday monthly at Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church in Stevensville from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Our Daily Thread Thrift Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For further information about Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call 410-739-4363.
