dorothy day house

dorothy day house

What it’s all about

The Dorothy Day House of Hospitality, 620 Belmont Ave., Youngstown, opened Nov. 22, 2009. The house, made possible through the Catholic Worker Initiative, is a refuge for the homeless and others in need.

Founder: Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a journalist turned social activist. She and Peter Maurin founded the Catholic Worker Movement in 1933. They promoted nonviolence in the pursuit of justice and hospitality for the impoverished. There are more than 180 Catholic Worker houses worldwide; the first, Mary and Joseph, in New York remains open. Day also published the Catholic Worker newspaper.

Mission: In the spirit of Dorothy Day, the Youngstown Catholic Worker is a community founded on personal relationships, committed to learning and living the gospel of love through hospitality and peaceful resistance to injustice. Its mission is to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, care for the sick, clothe the naked, visit prisoners and work to eradicate injustices.

Hospitality: Dinner is served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Free showers are from 3 to 4:45 p.m. Tuesdays.

At the roundtable: Discussions of social justice topics are planned from 7 to 8:30 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month.

Prayer: Vespers are scheduled at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and the liturgy is celebrated once a month.

Volunteer opportunities: Chefs, servers and clean-up crew for evening meals, shower schedule, board games, gardening and canning, clean-up days, donations of furniture and equipment and financial support and donations. Mary Ann and Jim Itts have volunteered at Dorothy Day from the beginning and Tuesday is their day. “The house has a great purpose,” she said. “God blesses us in different ways. It’s up to us to use our gifts to help others.”

Contact information: 330-743-1409 or www.youngstowncatholicworker.com.