In the 1980s, Sr. Máiréad Barrett of the Ursuline Order of Tildonk was living in a homeless shelter with other sisters; they were committed to providing a safe haven for families of refugees and many others living in poverty. However, she could see that shelters were only providing a short term fix to a problem that needed a real, lasting solution. She envisioned an organization that provided a holistic suite of support services, while empowering participants to help themselves. Over 30 years ago, in January of 1991, Sr. Máiréad founded New Ground to do just that.
Read Sr. Mairead’s message
Living in a shelter with homeless families was a life changing experience for me.
During the mid-to-late 1980s, Long Island NY had an influx of refugees fleeing war-torn Central America, burdened by hopelessness and helplessness. Many parents could barely read and write; struggling mothers needed to learn how to provide healthy food for their babies and families. Three Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk and two from other congregations were committed to creating a house that would be a place of refuge for those among us whose needs were great. A house manager was hired to assist us as we went out to work at full-time jobs to pay rent and assist in supporting the house. Despite our best efforts, the other nuns and I soon realized that we were attempting to put a Band-Aid on a hemorrhage.
For five years, I responded to the daily situations that arose with the work of my hands and mind, and the love of my heart and soul. I refer to this time as my immersion period because that is when the philosophy and program design for what would become New Ground was born. I realized that in order to have progressive and successful outcomes for 100% of the persons with whom we engaged we needed to combine the disciplines of education and social work. The importance of trained educators and social workers would allow us to engage our clients while keeping them motivated and inspired to acquire work that would ultimately help them to support themselves and their families.
We opened our New Ground doors on January 15, 1991. Today, 25 years later, New Ground’s design includes professional social workers and educators as the primary staff who interact with the families and veterans we serve. The core of New Ground’s philosophy is that we are a “place of freedom” for families and veterans – whether adults, youth or children. Persons who, with our help, can and will walk that road to freedom. We are the trusting ones who help each individual take advantage of the oasis that is New Ground. We travel as companions as they grow toward freedom and the full capacity to live happy and productive lives. Over time, our clients become educated, professionally developed, and ready to live in a world beyond survival, thus breaking the devastating cycle of homelessness.
All of us at New Ground are exceptionally grateful to the wonderful friends, employees and donors who partner with us in sharing their spirit and resources as together we make a significant and lasting difference in the lives of those in need. It is with their help that New Ground began and sustained for a quarter-century and can continue, confident that the future will be one of excitement and hope for the clients who will one day place their trust in us.
Sister Mairead M. Barrett, OSU - Founder of New Ground