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January 3, 2019Many charities assist the poor and underprivileged. Yet, Ministry on the Margins welcomes the often forgotten, unseen and unwanted populations struggling to earn livable wages in complicated situations.
Former inmates, recovering addicts, grandparents who re-parent, those struggling with mental illness, the homeless and others are treated with dignity as they transition back to society.
The all-volunteer, all-donation-based program observed five years of operation this past December. Its need has not slowed. Food, clothing, support, comfort and advice are provided without question. More than 70 volunteers per week make it happen.
Its co-founder Sr. Kathleen Atkinson, a Benedictine sister with Annunciation Monastery in Bismarck, said the need from these populations spiked dramatically since the program’s inception, partly due to the promise of employment during the oil boom. Others find themselves labeled for life as felons for nonviolent drug-related convictions. Households with already limited incomes incur more expense as they raise children for the incarcerated.
In December 2013, its first month, Ministry on the Margins distributed 581 pounds of food from its food pantry to 22 households or 46 individuals. In November 2018, it gave out 14,585 pounds of food to 617 households or 1,550 individuals.
“We are supporting people who fall through the cracks, especially in times of transition,” said Sr. Kathleen. That might mean food, employment assistance, clothing or keeping connected when you lack a consistent address, or don’t have a call-back number or aren’t fully linked to social media.
Began with prison ministry
The mission was seeded when Atkinson started a Catholic faith formation program for inmates seven years ago. It enlightened her. “It was something I always wondered about doing,” she said. “It was one of those experiences. My life had changed. … God was calling me to do something.” She wanted to do more for people coming out of prison.
She talked to people about what she was doing with that group of inmates. “People said, ‘I always wanted to work with the poor or prisoners.’ I was surprised by the number of people who said, ‘my nephew, my son was incarcerated. It’s been so hard. Every place, people would come up to me.’”
She knew she had to facilitate something for people who are living on the edge, for the marginal people. “Especially when they are in transition, coming from prison and trying to come back to society,” she added.
Huge road blocks are encountered by those coming back from whatever their circumstance, Sr. Kathleen said.
“I found people living in the poorer hotels, families living in vans, storage units and garages in Bismarck. … I never thought people would live in unheated garages. I found people in crisis and didn’t know what to do,” she said.
The problems facing former inmates became clearer to Atkinson. “They are 24 to 25 years old with their whole life ahead of them and what is that transition like? What is it like to live with that label ‘felon?’”
She enlisted the help of other sisters from the monastery on Easter of 2013. They organized a series of ice cream socials in known poorer parts of town in Bismarck, but they knew more was needed.
Establishing public outreach
In November 2013, Ministry on the Margins became a registered nonprofit, that occupied just 500 square feet of the old Bismarck Tribune building on Fourth Street.
Yet, organizers found that poverty and hunger are not a 9 to 5 problem. “A woman came to us and said, ‘I can’t go to any of the food pantries because they are all open Monday through Thursday until 4 o clock and I can’t get a ride until someone is off work.’ We said, ‘let’s open a food pantry Thursday night from 5 to 7.’”
As demand grew, Ministry on the Margins outgrew its first home and moved to a larger Second Street address to expand programs, which was its home for the next 18 months.
Now, Atkinson believes, the program has found its final headquarters at 201 N. 24th Street within 7,500 square feet of space to meet its growing programs. “We were serving 20 people a week (in 2013). We now serve 800 people a week.”
No housing assistance is provided, but Ministry on the Margins does collaborate with programs that can locate reasonable housing. Nor does it duplicate the soup kitchen provided by Heaven’s Helpers.
Atkinson notes it is almost impossible for a felon to qualify for housing, and almost as difficult to apply for work. Complicating the housing search is the need for a good credit score. A young person serving a short prison sentence may have none, she said. Those in prison 10 or 15 years are strangers to online job applications. “Think about being taken out of society for the past 10 years,” said Sr. Kathleen.
A criminal label impacts more than just the person seeking shelter and work. It branches out to family members and dependents. According to Atkinson, one in 21 children in the United States went to bed with a parent incarcerated.
“We are incarcerating so many people because of mental illness or addiction,” she noted. “Most of these people are in there for one act. Who wants to take on the story of the prodigal son? … I’d say a majority of people like me never thought about it,” Sr. Kathleen said of former inmates.
Ministering to and visiting with those in prison is among the corporal works of mercy, she explained and is based upon the Scriptures of Matthew. The duties are emphasized along with feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and burying the dead. “That is one that we overlook,” she said.
Everyone welcome
Anyone is welcome to come for help at Ministry on the Margins, said Atkinson, without proof of need or identification. Situations vary for those helped—from the homeless to professionals undergoing messy divorces, said Sr. Kathleen. Some don’t qualify for government nutrition programs because they exceeded income requirements by $20 per month. Help is tailored to each person’s need.
“The group we are seeing an increase in is the senior citizens. A lot of grandparents are taking care of grandkids on their own limited income. The children are having mental health issues, are having addiction issues,” she said.
Often, for those at risk, something as simple as a car repair, high heating bill or medical condition forces them to choose between food or the unexpected cost.
She acknowledges that some might abuse the ministry’s food and clothing pantry, but said that is between them and God. Atkinson said it is between her and God if she neglects the truly needy.
Atkinson defends those in need who are criticized for carrying cell phones. “They have become a necessity now that there are no public phones or pay phones.”
The ministry’s hospitality sessions outside prison include fellowship, sound advice and even games. “We have interaction and enjoyment, normalcy for those walking the streets of Bismarck.” …It’s a nice place to get warm. We have the services,” she said. Volunteers consult with those attending about how to use computers for job searches and applications. Support groups are provided for those in transition from prison, separately for loved ones of those incarcerated as well as Bible Study groups.
Ministry on the Margins fills in the gaps for those at risk. “How do they put down a call-back number for a job application? We have a phone here,” she explained. “Sometimes, it’s the little things. We had a guy who got a job at one of the fast food restaurants. He needed skid-proof, black shoes. How do I buy the shoes if I don’t have $29? It’s that small of a window.”
She notes that many open jobs are part-time and don’t pay enough to make a viable living or the business will not hire those with criminal records. To make it, people may need to patch multiple part-time jobs together and find transportation to work.
Volunteer contributions
Wendy Shelton, 31, of Bismarck, is both a recipient and volunteer for Ministry on the Margins. Trauma to the brain leaves her unable to speak so she wrote her answers for the interview.
The mother of one said she “looked for months for a place to find food and clothes.” A friend told her about Ministry on the Margins.
Five months ago, Shelton began to pitch in by sorting clothes and helping other people find clothes. “Before here, (I) could not leave my house.” It has helped her get back in touch with the community, Shelton explained.
Twyllla Rausch has volunteered for two and a half years. “I had some time to volunteer. I am retired and I enjoy helping people. There are people who kind of fall through the cracks and it’s very welcoming and non-judgmental. It’s just a nice way of welcoming people. You never know what will happen. It could be any one of us who ends up in need.”
Volunteers also organize five prayer events per week inside the men’s prison. A new faith sharing program was started at the women’s prison in New England.
“We focus on food, clothing, job, and spiritual help and make that available,” Sr. Kathleen said. “Everyone qualifies for what we offer and we offer what we have.”
A lot of people who received from the program want to give back, she said. “People who received food from the food pantry five years ago are giving food to donate. We received a huge donation of $3,000 from a church and we received a donation of two one-dollar bills from someone who was homeless. We have people who are incarcerated who send us
five-dollar checks.”
Future goals of Ministry on the Margins include helping people be employment-ready and to sustain jobs, Atkinson said, and possibly education.
“The growth and continued ministry comes because people have supported us in prayer, as volunteers and in donations. That’s how we function and will continue to function.”
No government programs support Ministry on the Margins, but it will receive assistance from the United Way for the first time this year. She said multiple churches contribute food and items, but the ministry is not affiliated under supervision of a church.
For more information about how you can help, call 701-223-6315 or visit www.ministryonthemargins.com.
Program offerings
Hospitality events are held 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Its emergency food pantry and free clothing program runs 10 to 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays, 10 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesdays and 5-7 p.m. Thursdays. The Prison to Society bible study is offered 5:30 p.m. Mondays. The Prison to Society support group is offered 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The When a Loved One is Incarcerated support group meets 7 p.m. on Mondays. Addiction recovery groups meet 7 p.m. Sundays; and at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, a duel recovery support group meets.