Talbot Interfaith Shelter

Inaugural Event Raises $17,000 for Talbot Interfaith Shelter

November 1, 2023 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

The 2023 Shelter Showdown Winners (names specified in the article), along with Tardigrade Obstacle Course and Fitness Facility Owners, Jess and Matt Lister

On October 21st, the skies were blue and the sun was shining as community members gathered to participate in Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s (TIS) inaugural Shelter Showdown and Hoedown fundraiser, presented by Sun Management Rising Technologies. By the end of the day, TIS had raised nearly $17,000 to provide Shelter, Stability, Support, and a path to Success to local families and individuals in need. The theme of the event was “Helping Our Neighbors Overcome the Obstacle of Homelessness.”

The event kicked off with the Showdown at Tardigrade Obstacle Course and Fitness Facility, where athletes as young as single digits and up into their 50s showed that they were TIS Tough by tackling extreme challenges like the Rope Climb, the Ice Bath, the Fire Jump, and many more. Families got in on the action during the Family Fun Waves, which were followed by Competition Waves.

After the Showdown, participants and other community members gathered at Triple Creek Winery for the Hoedown celebration. Delicious food was provided by Capriotti’s, Four Sisters Kabob and Curry, EZ Access Eats, and Hoots Shaved Ice. A group of local elementary school students who call themselves The Pizza Club also hosted a bake sale at the event.

Guests enjoyed fantastic live music by Justin Ryan and Josh Delaney. The “little kids” had a blast playing on the giant inflatable play course and trying out the inflatable axe throwing, baseball, and football challenges. Real axe throwing and archery games were right on target for the “big kids.” Attendees also had the opportunity to walk through “The Obstacle Course of Homelessness” and learn about the challenges that Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s guests face, and how TIS helps them overcome these hurdles to achieve self-sufficiency at the finish line.

At the end of the day, Tardigrade owners and coaches Jess and Matt Lister took to the stage to announce the winners of the Showdown’s Competitive Waves. The Talbot County Sheriff’s Department took the top prize in the team competition, while 15-year-old Zach Lister earned First Place in the Overall Competition. In Second and Third Place were 13-year-old Alex Lister and 14-year-old Quentin Doyle, respectively. The age group winners were announced as David Schenker in the 10 to 11-year category, Theodore Bramble in the 12 to 14-year category, DJ Johnson in the 30 to 39-year category, and Maurice Newnam in the 50 to 59-year category.

“We are thrilled with the response to this event,” shares TIS Development and Marketing Director, Laura Richeson. “Not only from the participants, but from our wonderful sponsors, vendors, and volunteers. We are always humbled by the way ‘Team TIS’ steps forward to help our neighbors in need. It was exciting to see folks putting themselves to the test or joining the celebration to support our guests. The guests are very aware of how invested the community is in their success, and that support bolsters them as they work through the arduous process of reclaiming their independence. We, and they, are so very grateful to everyone involved.”

The inaugural Shelter Showdown & Hoedown was made possible by a group of generous sponsors. Talbot Interfaith Shelter extends their sincere thanks to Presenting/Bench Press Sponsor Sun Management Rising Technologies, Ninja Warrior Sponsors Soistman Family Dentistry and Bullock Construction Inc., Trifecta Sponsors Rise Up Coffee, Dr. Computer, and Willow Construction, and Rope Warrior Sponsors Wye Financial, Preston Auto, Mr. and Mrs. John Trax, and Mr. and Mrs. John Itell. TIS would also like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Steve Burleson for their special donation of children’s crafts.

All proceeds from the event benefit Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s mission to end homelessness on Maryland’s Mid-Shore. Their comprehensive S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success) is designed to guide local families and individuals step-by-step from homelessness to self-sufficiency. TIS provides shelter, rigorous case management, connection with necessary service providers, life skills training, and more. When guests have reached certain financial milestones, they are invited to move into one of TIS’ off-site transitional apartments, where they are given the time to make a gradual and manageable transition back into financial autonomy before moving out into their own housing.

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and how YOU can help, visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact [email protected].

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Talbot Interfaith Shelter Honors Volunteers

May 28, 2023 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

Since Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) began serving homeless men, women, and children in January of 2009, volunteers have been at the heart and soul of their mission. When TIS first opened as a traveling cold-weather shelter, members of the community would provide meals, laundry, transportation services, fellowship, and more. In November of 2014, when the shelter moved into its first permanent facility and began serving more families and individuals, the organization’s volunteers didn’t skip a beat. In the intervening years, they have provided thousands of meals as well as thousands of hours of supervision for the guests at TIS’ family shelter, Easton’s Promise, and singles shelter, Evelyn’s Place. TIS volunteers also help in many other capacities, including assisting with fundraising events like the popular annual Lip Sync Battle, moving furniture, and performing maintenance and landscaping on shelter grounds to help Evelyn’s Place and Easton’s Promise remain two of the most admired properties in Easton’s historic downtown.

TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe and Board Member Gail Benjamin, who was honored for her long-standing service to the organization as she steps off the Board of Directors.

On May 18^th, Talbot Interfaith Shelter honored its dedicated volunteers with a luncheon at the VFW in Easton. This was the organization’s largest volunteer appreciation event to date, with nearly 100 guests (approximately one-third of the total number of volunteers at the organization). Some of those in attendance have been donating their time to the shelter since day one – that’s more than 14 years in service to the community.

The reception hall was beautifully decorated with floral arrangements donated by the Talbot County Garden Club. Volunteers dined on salad, soup, and sandwiches, with a specially made cake for dessert. Executive Director Julie Lowe addressed the crowd, thanking them for their steadfast support of the shelter and its mission. During her speech, she gave special recognition and thanks to two long-serving Board Members who are leaving their positions – Gail Benjamin and Harvey Zendt.

Next, TIS’ new Volunteer Coordinator, Nancy Cummings, spoke, reiterating the organization’s fervent thanks for the volunteers’ efforts and sharing some updates. Nancy also told volunteers about the TIS Ambassadors Program. TIS Ambassadors is a training program that was started in 2019 to help shelter supporters learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and their S4 Program so that they can be well-informed TIS representatives out in the community. The program was paused during the pandemic, but sessions will now be held quarterly, starting on Wednesday, June 7^th.

After speeches, the volunteers played a fun game of “Team TIS Trivia,” with the winner receiving a gift card donated by Plaza Jalisco. Shelter staff also raffled off a beautiful wooden bowl donated by Tuckahoe Hardwoods, which was won by Jay Lister.

“Our volunteers are truly the lifeblood of our organization. To see so many of them in one place and to be able to thank them in person for all they do for TIS and our guests was incredibly gratifying,” shared Julie Lowe. “They may not think that it’s a big deal to donate a meal or to hang out in our shelters so the staff can go about their good work. But those homecooked meals, the friendly smiles and words of encouragement – that’s love, and our guests feel that to the bottom of their souls. It fuels them and gives them the confidence to work their way through our program because they know this community is behind them, lifting them up.”

To become a TIS volunteer or sign up for TIS Ambassadors training, contact Nancy Cummings, Volunteer Coordinator, at 410-690-3120 or [email protected].

TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe and Board Member Harvey Zendt, who was honored for his long-standing service to the organization as he steps off the Board of Directors.

Talbot Interfaith Shelter is a homeless shelter and transitional housing program based in Easton, MD and serving the five counties of the Mid-Shore (Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Annes). They have developed the innovative and comprehensive S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success), which is designed to guide local families and individuals from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

Guests begin at one of TIS’ two neighboring shelter homes – Easton’s Promise for families and Evelyn’s Place for single men and women – where they receive rigorous case management and attend life skills training while they work to attain financial stability. Once they are ready, guests move into one of TIS’ 15 off-site transitional apartments, where they continue to receive case management while their portion of rent gradually increases until they can sustain all of their expenses.

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and how to help, visit https://talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact Julie Lowe at 410-310-2316 or [email protected].

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Lip Sync Battle Rocks Into The Record Book

May 5, 2023 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

On April 29^th, the Waterfowl Building in Easton was alive with the sounds of music, applause, and joy as Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) hosted its 7^th Annual Lip Sync Battle fundraiser. By the end of the evening, nearly $83,000 had been raised to help TIS in its mission to provide Shelter, Stability, Support, and a path to Success for local families and individuals in need.

The Lip Sync Battle is a unique fundraising event that draws participants from all over the community to either perform a lip sync routine live on stage or create a lip sync video. Each team competes to get votes in the form of donations to Talbot Interfaith Shelter. The goal is to be the team in each category that raises the most money in support of TIS’ mission. Altogether, seventeen different teams raised a total of $61,000.

This year, there were winners in three separate categories. The Country School Faculty won in the Live Performance Category, Father Nash of Saints Peter and Paul Parish was the victor in the Live Show Video Category, and Vintage Books took home the trophy in the Online Only Video Category. At the end of the event, the Live Performers also competed for audience applause, and the 2023 “People’s Choice Award” went to the Saints Peter and Paul School Students.

Hosts Jayme D, Jay Hudson, and Ricky Vitanovec set a joyful tone from the start with an opening performance that had the crowd singing and clapping along. Seven teams then performed live, drawing laughter and cheers from the audience with their creative routines during the Free for All round. In the second half of the evening, the teams played Lip Sync Roulette, spinning a roulette wheel and performing whichever song the arrow landed on. The audience even got in on the action – some hopped up on stage and spun the wheel, while others sang and danced along from their seats.

“We are so thrilled to be back hosting the event in its original form, with a big audience and people performing live on stage,” says TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe. “Looking out in the audience and seeing all ages, races, religions, and more experiencing joy together – there is no other feeling like it. We are beyond blessed that so many people in our community choose to put themselves out there to draw attention to our mission each year. Lip Sync 2023 raised more money than ever before to help our neighbors get back on their feet. We are humbled and so grateful.”

This year’s Lip Sync Battle was presented by Sun Management Rising Technologies. For a complete list of sponsors, and to meet all of the participating teams, visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org/lsb.

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and how to help, visit https://talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact Julie Lowe at 410-310-2316 or [email protected].

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TIS Lip Sync Battle Goes Live Once Again In Its 7th Year

March 31, 2023 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

During the year-end holiday season, one might walk into a store or turn on the radio and hear various singers proclaiming, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” The staff and supporters of Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS), however, have that refrain stuck in their heads throughout what they affectionately refer to as ‘Lip Sync Season’ – the weeks leading up to and including TIS’ highly-anticipated annual Lip Sync Battle fundraiser.

After taking the competition online for two years and a hybrid event last year, Lip Sync Battle 2023 – presented by Sun Management Rising Technologies – is returning to its roots with a full live show on April 29^th at the Waterfowl Building (former Armory) in Easton. Doors open at 6:00 pm for light fare, cocktails, mixing, mingling, and photo booth fun. Showtime is at 7:00 pm.

Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s Lip Sync Battle is a can’t-miss evening filled with joy from start to finish. Hands will be clapping, toes will be tapping, and laughter will fill the air as teams from across our community come together to entertain and inspire the audience in hopes of earning votes for the title of 2023 Lip Sync Champion. This event makes for a perfect date night experience, a memorable evening of family fun, or a friends’ night out!

There are three competition categories this year: Live Performance, Videos Presented at the Live Show, and Online-Only Videos. Every team is competing to raise the most money in support of TIS’ mission to provide Shelter, Stability, Support, and a path to Success for local families and individuals in need. The winners in each group will be announced at the end of the show, as will the “People’s Choice” award, which is decided by audience applause.

“We are so excited to bring everyone back together once again this year,” says TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe. “There is absolutely nothing like the energy in the room during Lip Sync Battle. To look out and see a beautiful cross-section of our community and watch them share laughter and joy together… It is truly magical, and we just cannot wait!”

The competition has already begun, and the community can visit https://talbotinterfaithshelter.org/lsb to purchase tickets and/or vote for their favorite team(s) from now through the end of the show on April 29^th.

Those interested in becoming a Lip Sync Battle sponsor or volunteering during the event should contact TIS Development Director Laura Richeson at 443-786-6962 or [email protected].

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and how to help, visit https://talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact Julie Lowe at 410-310-2316 or [email protected].

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TIS Lip Sync Battle Rocks Its Way Into The Record Books

May 3, 2022 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

The Avalon Theater was alive with the sounds of music, laughter, and applause on April 21^st, thanks to Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s (TIS) 6^th Annual Lip Sync Battle Fundraiser. The night ended with a bang, having raised a record breaking $41,000 in support of the shelter’s S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success).

While not quite back to its original live format, the event returned to its roots, welcoming a limited audience in the same venue where they held the very first Lip Sync Battle. However, in a demonstration of how much things have changed over the past two years, event organizers added a modern twist – a live stream for those who were more comfortable watching from home.

Those attending in person were treated to food from Eat Sprout and sweet treats from Blue Heron Catering, as well as snacks and beverages made possible by ACME, Giant Food, Harris Teeter, Blue Heron Coffee, Harrison’s Liquors, Hair O’ The Dog, and Kelly Distributors. They also had fun at a digital photo booth provided by Foto Berry.

Hosts Jayme Dingler and Jay Hudson appeared live on stage and presented creative lip sync videos created by this year’s eleven contestants from throughout the community: the TIS Staff, the TIS Board, Father Nash from Saints Peter and Paul, Team Scout, brothers Noah and Zach, the Cash Queens from Shore United Bank in Denton, Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers, The AKAs, the Latin Honors SLAYciety from Easton High School, the Country School Faculty, and Amanda David from Edward Jones in Easton.

Contestants worked hard to earn votes in the form of donations leading up to the show, and both the in person and at-home audiences were able to vote throughout the show. By the end of the evening, TIS had blown past previous fundraising records for this event, raising an astonishing $14,000 more than their previous record, which was set before COVID hit and the event had to be temporarily taken online.

At the end of the event, two awards were given out. Father Nash was the Overall Winner, which goes to the contestant that raises the most money for Talbot Interfaith Shelter. Incredibly, he raised more than $12,000 with his rousing rendition of Kyrie by Mr. Mister. This is Father Nash’s second year winning the Overall Award. The Country School Faculty won the People’s Choice Award. In pre-COVID times, this trophy went to the team that got the most applause from the audience. Due to half of the audience tuning in from home, this year the award was calculated by counting the number of individual donations each team received. The Country School Faculty won over the crowd by “Rick Rolling” them with their fun take on Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up.

“We are thrilled,” says TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe. “Beyond the funds raised, we were basking in the fact that our community could be together again. One of the best parts of the Lip Sync Battle is that people from all over are in the same room, laughing and singing together. While it wasn’t as big is in years past, nevertheless, it was so wonderful to sit in that room and be surrounded by love and joy.”

Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s 6^th Annual Lip Sync Battle was presented by Wells Fargo Advisors Easton, On Your Mark Lighting and Décor, Scrawl Design, The Hummingbird Inn, Bullock Construction, Eastern Shore Print Ship Connect, Charles Goebel Architect, Willow Construction, FBB Capital Partners, Kopen and Collison, Walmart Easton, and Spring & Associates.

Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) is a homeless shelter and transitional housing program based in Easton, MD, and serving the five counties of the Mid-Shore (Talbot, Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne, and Dorchester). Families and individuals staying with TIS are required to participate in the S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success). S4 guides guests step-by-step from homelessness to self-sufficiency by providing shelter, case management, connection to local service providers, and educational programming. When guests are ready, they are invited to move into one of TIS’ off-site transitional apartments. TIS partially subsidizes their rent, and they continue to receive rigorous case management and to participate in classes as they work gradually towards taking over their full expenses over the course of approximately two years.

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and how you can help, visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact Julie Lowe at [email protected] or 410-310-2316.

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Home for the Holidays Raises $10,000 for Talbot Interfaith Shelter

January 11, 2022 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

During the first three weekends in December, the community got into the holiday spirit at the Hummingbird Inn in Easton for the 2^nd annual Home for the Holidays winter festival. This year’s event raised nearly $10,000 to benefit Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success), which guides local families and individuals from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

Attendees were mesmerized by the magical lighting display on the grounds of the Hummingbird Inn, designed and installed in partnership with On Your Mark Lighting and Design. They enjoyed live musical performances each night from local musicians: The Allegra Women’s Choir, DJ Charles Thomas, The Julie Mack Jazz Duo, Tom Gerni and Natural Law, Ellie Rose and Makayla Faulkner, Edgemere, Easton Elementary Chorus, The Praisefest Chorale, Emma Bailey, and Jayme D. Santa was “in the house” every evening, thanks to Ken Gresch and Greg Wilson, and Santa’s helper elf Caitlin Lankford joined him during the final weekend.

A plethora of sweet treats were provided by Eat Sprout, Blue Heron Catering, Kate’s Cookies, Lori Cuthbert, and Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s (TIS) own Director of Operations, Fran Doran. Kids had lots of fun at the craft table, making their own ornaments to take home. On Sunday, December 12^th and December 19^th, Tanglao Carriage Tours provided carriage rides through town, sponsored by Easton Economic Development Corp.

Shelter supporters sponsored the Walk of Lights, a luminary path stretching from the Hummingbird Inn on Aurora Street down Dover and Goldsborough Streets and leading into downtown Easton. Some 400 luminaries lit the path for the first two weekends, until some unexpected rain damaged most of the displays.

This year, the whole town got in on the fun with the Downtown Easton Decorating Contest, in which nineteen downtown businesses and five homes competed for the community’s votes to determine who had the best holiday decorations. The business participants were: Deco Stephy, Storm & Daughters Ice Cream, Prim Salon and Boutique, Marc Randall & Co, Vintage Books, Shearer the Jeweler, A Happy Place, Dwelling & Design, Curlicue, Dragonfly Boutique, EC and Company and Elizabeth Claire Salon, Sailor, Lizzy Dee, Levity of Easton, An Optical Galleria, Trade Whims, La De Da, Justamere Trading Post, and Berrier Ltd. The residential contestants were 107, 109, 111, and 118 Goldsborough Street and 9 N Aurora Street. Vintage Books won the business contest, while 111 Goldsborough Street took home the prize for the residential contest. Each received a $100 Downtown Easton Gift Card and dinner for two at Hunter’s Tavern.

“We are delighted by the results from this year’s event,” says TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe. “It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces, and gratifying to know that we were able to raise $10,000 to help the families and individuals we serve to move out of homelessness and reclaim their independence. We are grateful to all of the donors, sponsors, musicians, and of course, our incredible volunteers, without whom we could not have pulled off this marathon event!”

Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) is a homeless shelter and transitional housing program based in Easton, MD and serving the five counties of the Mid-Shore (Talbot, Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne, and Dorchester). Families and individuals staying with TIS are required to participate in their S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success). S4 guides guests step-by-step from homelessness to self-sufficiency by providing shelter, case management, connection to local service providers, and educational programming. When guests are ready, they are invited to move into one of TIS’ off-site transitional apartments. TIS partially subsidizes their rent, and they continue to receive rigorous case management and participate in classes as they work gradually towards taking over their full expenses over the course of approximately two years.

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and how you can help, visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact Julie Lowe at [email protected] or 410-310-2316.

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Talbot Interfaith Shelter Receives Easton Village Grant

June 9, 2021 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

The Easton Village Homeowners Association and Elm Street Development are pleased to announce a grant of $4,500.00 to the Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIF). This grant will help TIF to expand its services to a larger number of mid-shore residents, many of whom became homeless for the first time as a result of economic pressures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Elm Street Development established the Easton Village Charitable Fund in 2006 as a way to give back to the community,” Vice President Mike Burlbaugh explains. “From the beginning it’s been a joint venture of our company and the people who buy homes or lots in Easton Village.”

The Easton Village Charitable Fund is an endowed fund managed by the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. A small percentage of price at the first-timesale of a lot or house funds the endowment, which currently exceeds $100,000.00. The fund also receives direct donations from individual Easton Village and Talbot County residents.

Ty Dickerson, acting president of the Easton Village HOA says: “We think this annual grant reflects the true spirit of Easton Village. We have always been a community of people who work together both for the benefit of our own neighborhood and Talbot County as a whole.”

To find out more about the Easton Village Charitable Fund, please contact Dorothy Whitcomb at [email protected].

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Talbot Interfaith Shelter names Curry new Marketing and Development Director

June 8, 2021 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) is pleased to announce the appointment of their new Marketing and Development Director, Maureen Curry. As a longtime supporter of TIS’ mission to provide Shelter, Stability, Support, and a path to Success for local families and individuals in need, Curry is very excited to take on this pivotal role within the organization.

Maureen Curry

She explains, “Talbot Interfaith Shelter provides such a vital service to our community. I look forward to growing the donor base, and setting a course for a bright and strong future for TIS.”

Curry has lived in Talbot County for 33 years, and has deep ties to the community. She has a wealth of experience that made her a standout candidate for the position, including many years in tourism and economic development for the town of Easton, and as the Executive Director of the Baywater Animal Rescue in Dorchester County.

Curry is taking over for outgoing Marketing and Development Director Jayme Dingler, who joined TIS’ Board of Directors in 2013, and transitioned to her role on staff in 2017. Dingler says that it has been “the greatest honor of my life to have been a part of helping this incredible organization to grow over the past several years. I am thrilled that Maureen will be bringing her vast experience to this position as TIS moves into the next phase of its history.“

For her part, Curry is “honored to have been selected to take the reins from Jayme,” and plans to hit the ground running. Talbot Interfaith Shelter has recently purchased its second shelter facility and is in the process of making preparations to open its doors to new guests. Renovations need to be made to the Victorian home to meet codes. Once complete, the new shelter will serve single individuals, while its current facility will serve families. The shelters are the first step for guests on their journey through TIS’ S4 Program. There, they receive case management, are connected with necessary resources, and participate in educational programming. Once they have reached certain financial milestones, they are invited to move into one of TIS’ subsidized transitional apartments, where they are able to work gradually towards self-sufficiency.

This necessary expansion, spurred by an uptick in calls for shelter resulting from the COVID crisis, means significantly increased operating costs for the organization. She looks forward to working with TIS’ leadership to develop strategies aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the organization into the foreseeable future.

TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe is excited to welcome Curry to what the organization affectionately calls “Team TIS” when she arrives for work on June 21^st. She says, “We were so lucky that Jayme was able to take on this important role several years ago as we were entering a period of rapid growth. Now, as she moves on to her next adventure, we have once again had the incredible good fortune to find Maureen, whose talent, experience, and passion for our mission made her a perfect fit at this crucial time. I look forward to working with her to continue moving TIS forward in the fight against homelessness in our community!”

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and their S4 Program, visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org.

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Local High School Architecture Clubs Design Modern Homeless Shelters

May 16, 2021 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

Building Layout

Each year, local high school students from Easton High School, St Michaels Middle High School, and Saints Peter and Paul work with local mentors to create architecture projects through the ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Program. The students get to pick the project they will take on, and for the 2021 ACE season, the teams from Easton High School and St Michaels Middle High School both chose to design a modern homeless shelter.

Before working on their designs, representatives from each team reached out to staff at Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS). Their aim was to gain insight into how great the needs are in the community, what the local homeless population looks like, and any needs that they might have that aren’t currently being met.

TIS Executive Director Julie Lowe said she and her staff were, “so impressed by the type of questions the students asked. It was obvious that they were putting a lot of thought and care into their projects, and really trying to understand the needs of the people they would be serving.”

Site Map

At the ACE Awards Ceremony on April 14^th, the students had an opportunity to present their projects to the community. Each team took a different approach to the assignment. The students from St Michaels designed a homelike shelter very similar to those that Talbot Interfaith Shelter is currently operating on Goldsborough Street. Their goal was to provide guests comfort and stability, while providing the flexibility to accommodate a frequently-changing population.

The students from Easton took a different tact, imagining a scenario in which both of TIS’ shelters would serve families, and they would complement those services by repurposing a centrally-located commercial space into an expansive facility for homeless individuals. Inventive features included an on-site medical clinic and enough food storage to feed all of the building’s inhabitants for several days in case of emergency.

When asked why his team chose to pursue this particular design theme, Easton High School team leader Luke Adelman explained, “The Homeless Shelter project attracted the team because it was a new kind of building design with opportunities for creative solutions to the unique requirements. Moreover, the project takes on a pertinent problem, especially now during the covid-19 pandemic. We always strive to connect our projects to the local community.”

For her part, Lowe was amazed by the results of the projects. She says, “These students blew us away with their creativity and compassion. We were honored to be a part of sparking these wonderful ideas in young men and women who will go on to be the future of our community. It is a beautiful thing!”

To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and their innovative S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success), visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact Julie Lowe at 410-310-2316 or [email protected].

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TIS Talk: The Case for Doing Away with the Phrase “The Homeless”

May 12, 2021 by Talbot Interfaith Shelter

“The Homeless”… We hear that phrase all the time. It’s even part of the names of some organizations created to fight homelessness. But at Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS), there is something about those words just makes us cringe. We humbly suggest doing away with that phrase and replacing it with the term “Homeless People.” Here’s why:

We as a society attach such a negative stigma to homelessness. There is an assumption that the majority of homeless people are mentally ill or drug addicts. Our mindset is often that, if someone is homeless, it is the result of something they have done – bad choices, laziness, etc. – and that they deserve whatever has happened to them. When we refer to them as “The Homeless,” we don’t have to think of them as people. We remove their humanity, and it makes it easier to ignore or dismiss them. It is simpler to see them that way – then we don’t have to think of homelessness as something that we need to help fix, and we certainly don’t have to think of it as something that can happen to us.

In reality, addicts and those with severe mental illness make up a relatively small percentage of the homeless population. It is much more likely that people will become homeless because:

They have lost their job.
They cannot afford housing.
They are escaping domestic violence.
They have aged out of the foster care system.
They have been kicked out of their homes because of their sexual orientation, or because they have become pregnant and/or are in a mixed-race relationship.
They have a chronic illness or injury.
They served in the armed forces and did not get the support they needed when they returned home.
They have experienced a death in the family or a breakdown of the family unit.

When we look at homelessness in this way, it’s much more difficult to dismiss it as something that has nothing to do with us, or that can’t happen to us. We can easily put ourselves in the shoes of those who are experiencing homelessness.

At Talbot Interfaith Shelter, we like to say that “homeless” is an adjective, NOT a noun. It describes someone’s situation, but it does not define who or what they are. Homeless people are just that – PEOPLE – and homelessness is simply the lack of a roof over one’s head. It is not something that automatically identifies someone in any specific way.

If we are going to fight homelessness in our society, we must first change the perception of what it looks like. By eliminating the phrase “The Homeless” and instead saying “Homeless People,” we can start to change the conversation. We can begin to humanize homelessness. We can work to create solutions that don’t include criminalization and lack of compassion, but rather address the root causes and acknowledge the individual challenges of those who are struggling with homelessness.

And then maybe, just maybe, fewer people will be defined by the fact that they are homeless, and more will be able to become “Formerly Homeless People,” “Working People,” “Financially Stable People,” and “Successful People.” But first, we have to acknowledge that they are people.

Jayme Dingler is the Marketing and Development Director at Talbot Interfaith Shelter.

To learn more about how TIS helps “Homeless People” in our community by addressing their individual challenges, call Julie Lowe at 410-310-2316 or visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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