The Shepherd’s Office - serving the homeless, hungry or lonely

The cynical side of me that has whispered in my ear, "No good deed goes unpunished," has been put to shame by a place I have driven past many times on my way through Georgetown. It is called The Shepherd's Office. The sign out front proclaims its mission, and the building is a beehive of activity, affirming that good is energetically being done here. The Shepherd's Office received a 2020 Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Award. 

I've been meaning to do a story about this for some time, but recently, with Thanksgiving only a couple of days away, I thought it was a really good time of year to actually visit this beacon of light and hope for people in need. I didn't call first, just arrived unannounced and was welcomed by Greta Browning, the assistant director. As I and my husband/photographer Jeff sat at her desk interviewing her, I soon realized what a warm and inviting person she is, her kind and patient smile drawing us in.

It was a rainy, cold November day, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and near lunchtime. The small rooms were filled with donations, including boxes of brown paper snack bags containing an offering of peanut butter crackers, a granola bar, and a fruit cup – a sweet treat and protein for those in need of nourishment and friends.

As we sat at Greta's desk, two women in back of us were putting together these bags on a table. The main source of providing a hot meal for the hungry were the many crockpots that ringed one room. Only so many can be plugged in at once so as not to blow a fuse. There is no stove. There is a hot dinner served from 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and takeout clamshell-style containers are provided. Also, there is a Sunday church service at 12 p.m. with Pastor Jim Martin, the director, followed by a free lunch. One must be 18 years old or older to participate.

A backpack giveaway supplied needy children with school necessities. Clothes are also collected and provided outside on tables from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Amazingly, they can have anywhere from 180 to 200 people arrive for dinners most days. Can you believe that many people need food and the warmth of fellowship in our area? Many are living in the woods in tents and sleeping in their cars in this land of plenty. There are three tent villages in Georgetown alone.

The Food Bank of Delaware helps provide staples, and Applebee’s Restaurant holds an all-you-can-eat breakfast with part of the cost of each meal going to help these missions. Paradise Grill in Long Neck has also held fundraisers, along with Pelican Creek. Eric Bodenweiser of Georgetown owns the house where The Shepherd’s Office is located, and rents the buildings and premises to the organization as well as chairing its board of directors.

We have seen the village of small houses provided for the homeless in Georgetown and other towns in our area. There are 40 Pallet houses that measure 8-by-8-feet in Georgetown. One is kept empty for emergency purposes. Couples with proof of marriage may share a house, and if one needs time out from their spouse due to sharing such close quarters, the extra house provides a breather.

I asked Greta, if she could wave a magic wand and have three wishes granted, what would they be? She said more affordable housing in Sussex County, a bigger space, and more donations of food and money. So please consider helping if you are able. She proudly told us that she found jobs and houses for three people in the past two weeks!

As we drive back to our own warm home, our hatchback filled with groceries and sundries from our stop at Walmart, we think of the people, the invisible people that not many know about, living in tents in the woods around us, warming their hands over makeshift stoves and small open campfires on a cold, rainy day like this.

As we gather during the holidays for turkey and all the side dishes in our homes or in our local restaurants, maybe we should remember the guests at The Shepherd's Office on Thanksgiving Day and think back hundreds of years ago to the first thanksgiving gathering, when the Native Americans helped the Pilgrims survive their first New England winter in their new land. They dined together outdoors, just like the hungry and the good Samaritans at The Shepherd's Office.

My favorite and most memorable Thanksgivings have always been with strangers who invited me into their world for dinner!

To donate, you may drop off cash or a check made out to The Shepherd's Office. You may also mail a check to 408 N. Bedford St., Georgetown, DE 19947, or donate online at shepherdsoffice.org. Anyone interested in volunteering may call the office at 302-858-4547.