In picturesque Talbot County, the homeless are mostly out of sight and out of mind. Some residents may even be incredulous that such circumstances exist in a community known for its largesse towards the many local charities.
But as the Talbot Interfaith Shelter – the mid-Shore’s only NGO dedicated to helping the homeless – prepares for a change of leadership on July 1, its top officials here to tell you yes, they do. More than you might think.
As outgoing Board Chairman Peter Woicke explained in an interview with The Spy alongside his successor, Larry Neviaser, the growth of TIS programs has been driven by the rising number of homeless individuals in Talbot County, mirroring trends across Maryland.
“This county is full of people of means who give generously to the arts and other causes, but homelessness is hidden from view,” Woicke said. “Rural homelessness hides in cars and tents, not on sidewalks. People may be shocked to learn there are 260 homeless students in our schools.”
Woicke, a retired international development financier, recalls that when he took over the board chair in 2019, TIS was a largely a volunteer operation that in just a few years expanded and professionalized to become a resource not only to offer temporary refuge, but provide a stable environment and life counseling to help their residents reclaim control of their personal and professional lives.
“Of course, this amount of growth required infrastructure, staffing and funding,” said Woicke, whose financial expertise has guided TIS since 2006.
“At the start, we depended on volunteers, many from local churches, who still play a critical role for us. Executive Director since 2008, Julie Lowe began her tenure as a volunteer herself.
Lowe now leads a professional staff of 20 and a small legion of volunteers, including case managers and overnight supervisors who provide mental health support and deliver seminars on financial, business, and parenting skills. The organization serves 50 to 60 people at any given time across its two shelters and 18 subsidized apartments – a fraction of the hundreds that apply due to limited resources.
TIS developed a program called “S4” (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success), which seeks to address the root causes of poverty and guide participants back to self-sufficiency. Residents at the two shelter homes, inconspicuous adjacent houses in the heart of Easton, have daily responsibilities and obligations. Substance and alcohol use is absolutely prohibited. One house is for families, the other for single men and women.
Once residents secure steady employment, TIS transitions them to subsidized apartments with sliding rent scales until they’re ready to re-enter the commercial housing market.
As he prepares to lead the Board, Neviaser, a retired auto dealer with deep community ties, predicts demand for TIS’s services will grow, especially with the lack of affordable housing and a substantial rise in older people seeking assistance.
He noted that statistics for Talbot generally track with national data for rural areas. Seven of every ten have lost their homes after losing a job, often in combination with illness or family issues, with high rents leaving little margin for error.
“More people than you realize live on that knife’s edge financially,” he said.
“In Maryland, homelessness has increased 50 percent in the last year,” Neviaser said. “Here in Talbot County, workers with a full-time minimum wage job can’t pay the average rent and have enough to live afterwards. It’s just not possible.”
TIS must choose among applicants who staff think can benefit most, who are willing to sit through interviews and commit to learning from seminars, acquiring social and business skills, and getting back to work. “We wish we could help more people who reach out for our services, but our capacity is limited.”
To be sure, all these activities require funding. TIS, he points out, receives none from either the town of Easton or Talbot County governments, which only allocates one percent its budget to social services of any kind. More than half of TIS budget comes from private donors, with 7 percent from state grants and some foundation support.
“Fundraising is a big issue,” Woicke interjects. “We’ve had generous donors. Our new administration building [on Vine Street in Easton] was generously financed by a single donor who was incredulous after learning about our work. There are more out there like him if we can raise awareness.”
Neviaser says that while Talbot Countians give generously, TIS competes for support with cultural nonprofits, which also benefit the community but often attract more attention.
“If people were more aware of what we were doing, I am convinced they would be willing to help us. Folks here are generous when they see the need.”
Woicke, who will remain on the board for two more years before retiring after 20 years of service, reflected on his tenure.
“My wife and I felt we needed to be engaged in the community. We couldn’t just enjoy it without giving back,” he said. “Leading TIS has been deeply satisfying. We’ve made a difference, but there’s still more to do. I am confident we will have continued success under Larry’s leadership.”
To support TIS’s mission to combat homelessness in Talbot County, click here to donate or volunteer.
