“It means a great deal to me, and to all of us who are serving here. “People have really stepped up with donations and financial support, even without solicitation, because they know how hard it is for everyone,” he said. Pizzarelli said that he remains committed to serving the poorest of the poor in as many ways as he can, and is grateful for the continuing support of the surrounding communities. ![]() “We did $1,000 in sales in the first two days alone, and we made some new friends in the process.” But it really feels like one now,” explained Morin. “Everything happened gradually when we first opened back in the fall, and so we never really had a grand opening celebration. Employees and volunteers are coming back to Hope House as they feel comfortable, and Hope Springs Eternal reopened for business the week of June 8. Happily, things are slowly returning to normal. We have some people who have the access to technology for telecounseling, but not everyone does.” Every night I go to bed with a heavy heart because I have people that call me who are ready to make a commitment to long-term recovery, but I have to put them on a waiting list. “We’ve been inundated with requests for counseling. “In this community, we have people who are really struggling, both unemployed and working poor who are barely getting by,” Pizzarelli said. While it’s a stressful time, he said that he’s much more concerned for the many people that depend on the ministry. Since then, Pizzarelli said Hope House has lost $1 million in revenue they would normally see from sales, donations and other events. As COVID-19 cases spread, Hope Springs began working on a limited schedule before shutting down completely on March 18. ![]() The business did well, and by early March, Pizzarelli said they’d made $25,000 in sales.īut then begins a story that will sound familiar. Running with five key volunteers and a few men in recovery, Hope Springs Eternal opened its doors on Nov. ![]() We’ve gotten so attached to them all, and wouldn’t be where we are now without them.” They restored two bathrooms and a kitchen. Tradesmen, electricians, artists, scholars - all of them have come together to help us make the shop a reality, from scrubbing and cleaning to carpeting and carpentry. “We have all kinds of people walk through the doors. We focus on how far they’ve come and where they’re going,” Morin said. It’s not about their past and what they’ve been through - everyone has a story. “No one is safe from the opioid epidemic. It was in terrible condition, Morin said, but with a lot of help from individuals going through rehab with Hope House, they were able to renovate and ready the space for business. ![]() Using seed money raised from those yard sales, they were able to find a building with affordable rent in Port Jefferson Station. “We started with yard sales and would make $1500 in an afternoon, and so that germinated an idea: What if we set up a place where we could sell goods all year long?” Pizzarelli said. She began to collect merchandise to sell seven years ago, and the response has always been positive in the community, which was eager to both donate and purchase. “I knew that I wanted to get involved in the community and help give back to people in need, and so I started volunteering almost as soon as I got here,” Morin recalled. All proceeds from sales at the shop will benefit Hope House Ministries. In November, Morin became the shopkeeper at Hope Springs Eternal Second Chance Boutique, a new venture that sells high-quality new and gently-used goods including fine crystal and china, glassware, furniture, handbags and name-brand clothing. He said that the non-profit receives no government or church support and runs entirely on the backs of volunteers, donors and some paid staff.Īmong those volunteers is Barbara Morin, who’s been a part of the Hope House family since she moved to the area in 2003. To founder Father Frank Pizzarelli, every passing year at Hope House is a miracle. For the past 40 years, Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson has provided a safe haven of support and recovery for thousands of Long Islanders struggling with poverty, addiction, homelessness, family conflicts and more.
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