SALEM — More and more people are finding themselves unhoused in America, and Salem is no exception. In an effort to address this critical issue, the Samaritan Charitable Society of Salem will host a symposium, “The Many Faces of Homelessness,” on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 6:45 p.m. at the Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St., Salem.
The organization has enlisted Dr. Jim O’Connell to be the keynote speaker at the event. His remarks will be followed by a panel discussion with local experts on the various aspects of homelessness, moderated by former WBZ-TV news anchor the Reverend Liz Walker.
Dr. Jim, as he is widely known, is president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and has been treating individuals living on the streets of Boston for more than three decades. His program has become a national model for providing help for those in need and is the subject of the book “Rough Sleepers” by Tracy Kidder.
Dr. Jim, who lectures widely on the topic, is the author of the informative and inspirational book “Stories from the Shadows,” and was recently the subject of the Jan. 1, 2023, Sunday New York Times Magazine article, “You Have to Learn to Listen: How a Doctor Cares for Boston’s Homeless.”
The Reverend Walker is a 2005 graduate of Harvard Divinity School and leads the Cory Johnson Program for Post Traumatic Healing. The program is named after a young, murdered member of Roxbury Presbyterian Church, where the Reverend Walker served as pastor until 2021.
The panel will include Jason Ethridge, president of Lifebridge North Shore; Rachel Hand, executive director of Family Promise North Shore; Veronica Miranda, Salem School Committee member and Salem Housing Authority Board commissioner; and Felicia Pierce, deputy CEO of the North Shore Community Development Coalition and director of YouthBuild.
“The goal of this symposium is educational,” said Samaritans president Rachel Lutts. “It will help people understand who is unhoused today, why, and how we as individuals and as a community can help them. It will be with a shared sense of urgency that we work with our many community partners to alleviate homelessness in our city.”
The symposium is free, but donations are very much appreciated. To register please go to thesamaritansociety.org.
In the course of the organization’s work helping Salem residents with financial needs, ranging from mattresses to medical expenses, the Samaritans have seen new and different needs arise and become more widespread. Those who are struggling and require assistance are often working parents or senior citizens living on social security.
The Samaritans is one of Salem’s oldest charities and provides one-time assistance to Salem residents facing a financial crisis, often partnering with other local social service providers. Learn more about the Samaritans at thesamaritansociety.org.
