When Mater Dolorosa Roman Catholic Church was preparing to close its doors in the fall of 2012, the Rev. Shane Kirby, who pastored there for two years, spoke about the culture of its parishioners, their faith and the camaraderie they shared. He called it the “heartbeat of the Italian community.”

Today the complex at the corner of Hepburn Street and Park Avenue including the former rectory has been reborn, in a sense, serving the community in a new way through charitable giving.

United Churches of Lycoming County’s food pantry moved into the former Monsignor Francis J. Castellano Center in 2013, followed by United Church’s Shepherd of the Streets and, most recently, Little Ones Clothes Closet. Also, Family Promise of Lycoming County has moved its day center to the former rectory.

Shepherd of the Streets

UCLC’s ministry strives to provide spiritual and material help to those on the streets, confronting fear, hunger, homelessness and unemployment.

Shepherd of the Streets operates out of the former Castellano Center as it advocates with local agencies, law enforcement and correctional agencies to assist people in need.

The Rev. J. Morris Smith, who holds a doctorate in theology, supplies counseling and prescription assistance.

“Those who are poor usually have been poor and sick for a long time, and only about half of the people who need medicine, have it,” Smith said.

The ministry also has helped clients with copays when they visit the doctor to ensure they get the medical assistance they need.

In the way of employment help, Shepherd of the Streets will purchase clothing and accessories that people need to start their newly acquired jobs, but can’t afford yet because they were previously unemployed.

This includes scrubs for those in the medical field, non-skid shoes for restaurant workers and OSHA-approved steel-toed boots for those whose jobs require them in order to even step onto the job site.

The ministry gives out personal hygiene kits to people in need and always is accepting donations to help build the kits.

Food Pantry

UCLC’s pantry provides a three-day emergency supply of food for a complete breakfast, lunch and dinner for each household in need of this assistance once a month.

Clients can call and schedule appointments at the former Castellano Center.

After operating out of four locations in the last three years, UCLC’s food pantry volunteers are happy to be working at the former Mater Dolorosa complex.

“We’ve been in much worse places,” Burkhart said. “There’s heat and windows and a fair amount of space here.”

During a family’s appointment, pantry volunteers assess its needs.

“What they get is dependent upon their household size and what products we have here,” said Gail Burkhart, pantry coordinator.

The pantry uses state and federal funds, as well as donations from the community to run the ministry.

Burkart said she’s very grateful of the secular and nonsecular groups that contribute through food drives throughout the year, including school districts and the Boy Scouts.

Wegmans Food Market also donates bread and sweets to the cause.

The food pantry provides support for 500-550 families each month, according to Burkhart. With the large number of those in need using this generous program, the ministry sticks to a strict system, keeping record of who comes in for assistance and how often.

“There are people who will abuse the system,” she said. “But this is not a way of life. This is emergency assistance.”

Though the pantry is associated with UCLC, volunteers do not preach or push religion on the families that use the ministry to feed their families.

But Burkhart said her awesome and devoted volunteers provide more than just food for those in need.

“When people come in month after month and begin to build trust with us, they see the same faces and what a good life looks like – what a life without drugs looks like,” she said.

Donations are welcome and accepted Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

The pantry serves clients Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m to 3 p.m.

Little Ones Clothes Closet

The newest addition to the charities operating out of the former Castellano Center is a free clothing boutique for children that is sponsored by St. Joseph the Worker Parish

Betty Cohick, the founder and director of the ministry that provides outfits, jackets and other accessories to children in need, opened Little Ones last June 17.

“The name is inspired by the story of Jesus and the little ones,” said Addie Wright, who frequently gives her time to the volunteer-run ministry.

Those in need of children’s clothes meet with Wright and the 21 other volunteers to assess their needs and select a few outfits 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Tuesdays.

The ministry provides clothing for newborns up to size 6, as well as blankets, bibs, stuffed animals and, Wright said, whatever is donated to the cause.

Like the food pantry, everything that is being provided to the children of the area through Little Ones is donated.

To date, Little Ones Clothes Closet has served 395 adults and 695 children.

The volunteers have given barefoot children boots to get through the winter and provided for those who have so little. They describe the appreciation and joy as amazing.

“It makes your day,” Wright said. “The monsignor would be very happy to see this place helping everyone it can and being put to good use.”

Family Promise

Day Center

Family Promise of Lycoming County’s Day Center is a home for families in the area who need a place to live while they try to better their lives.

“We provide a home, for all intents and purposes,” said Melissa Magargle, Family Promise executive director. “This is a place for them to shower, do laundry, get ready for school or work. Whatever we do in our homes, they do here.”

Magargle said that typically, families live at the day center for six months.

“We’ve never had anyone stay longer than that,” she said. “They stay until they get all their ducks in a row.”

The former church rectory is in a prime location to do just that. Located on Hepburn Street, the center is near the medical clinic and PA CareerLink, as well as being along the bus routes.

Up to 14 people, or four families, can be living in the building at one time. Though the average is three families as once.

Family Promise and its volunteers do more than provide families with a roof over their heads. They offer case management services, such as aiding guests in employment pursuits and providing financial counseling.

“This place really is a huge blessing,” Magargle said. “Everything we need is here and the building is enormous. We’d like it to be our forever home.”

Though Mater Dolorosa is not technically a church anymore, those who are devoted to providing assistance – whether it’s clothes, food, guidance or a home – still use the complex to do God’s work throughout the community.

In an area where some former churches stand vacant or are repurposed into apartment complexes, the residents of Williamsport and former members of the Mater Dolorosa congregation can be proud that their place of worship still is spreading God’s love.