NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT
The ministry has grown, as has the need. “We get homeless
people the police don’t want to take to jail,” O’Leary says.
“The court system and DCF (Department of Children and
Families) refer people. We work with Mental Health Court.
We also house some elderly folks with nowhere else to live.”
DCF draws up case plans which a parent or parents must
follow in order to be reunified with their children. Since the
ministry is an approved housing facility, this enables parents
to stay with their children in some situations. Over the last
several years, *ood Samaritan has had nine of its families
reunified.
Inmates released from jail must also follow a strict probationary
policy. “Each former inmate that was released to us,
who completed the program, has never violated probation,”
says O’Leary.
COMMITMENT STRATEGY
%ecause people coming to *ood Samaritan usually have
multiple issues, policies have been instituted which the ministry’s
leaders believe are in the residents’ best interests. For
example, residents don’t work elsewhere during their first
days in the program. “Historically, they’d get high with that
first paycheck. :e have learned from experience and from
other organizations what policies to implement for the safety
and recovery of our residents,” O’Leary notes.
She says that although residents commit to a year, if they
choose to leave prematurely, they can. “We want them to talk
to us first, and not Must react out of emotion, in the moment,
however.” Usually, they stay.
Senior pastors and church members in the community
who have toured *ood Samaritan often say that they had no >>
Founder and pastor
Vito Bitetto says
instead of a handout,
Good Samaritan offers
a faith-based living
environment that
stresses responsibility,
accountability and
productivity.
JOIN THE FASTEST-GROWING MEDIA COMPANY ON THE TREASURE COAST
PORT ST. LUCIE MAGAZINE HAS OPENINGS FOR
• Advertising sales representatives
www.portstluciemagazine.com
If interested, contact Publisher Gregory Enns at enns@portstluciemagazine.com or 772.940.9005.
Port St. Lucie Magazine 41
• Writers
• Photographers and videographers
• Web and digital media specialists
Port St. Lucie
/www.portstluciemagazine.com
link