Beatitude House names first layperson to lead

YOUNGSTOWN

Gina Pastella is the first layperson to serve as executive director of Beatitude House in the organization’s 26-year history.

Sister Margaret Sheetz founded the ministry in 1991 in Youngstown to reach out to homeless mothers. Sheetz, who died in 2001, had been inspired by the movie “God Bless the Child.”

Beatitude House, which is sponsored by the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, now serves disadvantaged women and children in Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula counties.

Among other initiatives, the non-profit provides transitional and permanent housing, assists students in applying for financial aid and offers classes for those learning English as a second language.

“We at Beatitude House have an extreme privilege of being able to serve the most underprivileged families in our community – some of the most vulnerable families,” Pascella said. “It is truly an honor for me, as a long supporter of Ursuline Sisters Ministries to now step into this role.”

Read more about her in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.