Letters

Thank you for shedding light on the work being done here in Hampton Bays on behalf of the homeless population of the East End [“Hampton Bays Civic Groups Raise Concerns About Homeless Population,” 27east.com, December 3]. We wanted to write this letter to give a fuller picture of the founding of this ministry by St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and others and the pivotal role played by churches and groups not mentioned in your article.

Twenty years ago, prominent community activist Kay Kidde, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Hampton Bays, the Mattituck Presbyterian Church, and the Peconic Housing Initiative in Riverhead laid the groundwork for the Maureen’s Haven Homeless Outreach Program.

St. Mary’s provided overnight accommodations, food and clothing in our warm and safe Parish Hall. Over the years, we were joined by Christ Our Saviour Lutheran Church and Good Ground Methodist Church in Hampton Bays as host sites. Our efforts have been bolstered by Hampton Bays Assembly of God Church and St. Rosalie’s Roman Catholic Church, who have come in with their own army of volunteers to tend to the homeless. The Hampton Bays church community has been working hand in hand all this time like a well-oiled machine.

A number of other volunteers have been drawn from the Hampton Bays School District, the Hampton Bays Volunteer Fire Department, Krieg’s Bakery, Panera, King Kullen, Stop & Shop, Wild by Nature, Planet Fitness, Boys and Girl Scouts of America, and The Laundry Room. Still others have donated financially with generous contributions.

We have so many to thank for making this program a success and thank everyone involved for their work in helping to care for those in need.

Mary M. Castro

Jerylyn O’Connell

Maureen’s Haven Homeless Outreach Coordinators

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Hampton Bays