The first two installments of this series highlighted the Church's active outreach, including the supply distribution ministry of the Order of Malta and Catholic Charities Parish Engagement’s shower ministry at Our Lady of Refuge.

Even as the City of San José has seen a hopeful decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness,¹ the Church’s commitment to loving Christ in the unhoused remains constant, even as it adapts to accompany those who continue to live on the margins.

Vic and Gayle

In part one of the series, Gayle, an encampment dweller, had formed a familial bond with Knight of Malta Vic Giacalone during the Order’s weekly distributions. For her, it means a lot that her adopted “dad,” Vic Giacalone, still comes to check in on her after her move to a local hotel.

“If I don't see him after a month or two normally I go to his office and check on him, don't I?” she joked in Vic’s direction. For 13 years on the street, Gayle resisted offers of housing because of the ban on pets at some shelters. But things have changed. “Here, they let me keep all three of my dogs,” she explained.

For the moment, Gayle is one of the success stories. “I have more stability. Since I've been here, I've gotten a lot of help with medical needs. They have got a case manager that helps me.”

It means a lot to Vic to see Gayle with a roof over her head. “I’m glad to see her happy and safe and clean. It was really difficult for her to maintain a normal lifestyle in those camps. She described having had her belongings stolen too many times. It was really a jungle.”

Marlene Bennett  

While Gayle has presently moved on to better times, many still struggle to secure housing, and some continue to visit the shower ministry at Our Lady of Refuge. At the showers, clients can now potentially remove legal barriers to housing through services and outreach provided by Santa Clara University's School of Law.

Through its Unhoused Advocacy Practice (UAP), a program run by the Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center, the law school has launched an initiative with a dual mission. According to its website, it seeks, “To educate law students to be lifelong social justice advocates and provide supervised free legal services for low-income consumers, immigrants, workers, and the unhoused in Santa Clara County.” Additionally, the Unhoused Initiative (UI) seeks to promote the dignity and humanity of our unhoused neighbors through research, events, and community collaboration.

"If you can resolve certain legal matters, it could help someone get a job and housing," explained Marlene Bennett, Project Director of the UI, who has volunteered with the shower ministry for the past two years.  Since last August, the UAP has helped expunge records for those with minor infractions and assisted with unpaid court fines.  

Something that has stood out to Marlene about the shower ministry’s guests: “The most common trait is gratitude for the service, appreciation for an afternoon in community with others, and a lifted spirit after a home-cooked meal, a hot shower, and clean change of clothes.” In partnership with Marlene and the UI, Senior Public Health students launched a Stigma Reduction Campaign, where they interviewed and gave voice to the unhoused who visit the showers.

Of the encampment clear-outs, Marlene noted, “I have heard folks say, ‘I'm starting back at zero again’ because their things got taken or destroyed, or they have had to find a new place where they feel safe and they have a community and things that they need.”  

She has also witnessed occasional success stories. “I remember a particular gentleman who came to Our Lady of Refuge after he'd been placed in housing. Everyone was so happy for him! Those moments are important because guests can see that there are folks who are getting off this seemingly endless queue for placement in housing; there are folks making it through the system.”

Don, Jim, and Gerald

Not all stories have positive endings. One individual, Gerald, who was featured in part two of this series, is nowhere to be found. At the time of writing, he has not been spotted at any of the transitional sites where the Order of Malta still ministers.

His friend Jim Griewing, a volunteer with the Order, shared, “I’m concerned about how he's doing and where he is now. He was here at least 5 or 6 years.” In that time, Jim would always stop by to chat and give him a sandwich. Now even the bench he lived on has been cleared.

Coincidentally, during the weeks of the encampment clear-outs, Jim spotted Gerald walking on 2nd Street in San Jose. He made a note to circle back after his appointment, but when he did, Gerald was gone.

The Order of Malta’s Don Blach also recalled Gerald with fondness, “He was a very upbeat person. I hope that he can find a community to be with." Community relationships forged within encampments are a major reason homeless campsites organically arise. "When they split people up, those folks lose a lot of contact." Don acknowledged.

"There was camaraderie." Jim agreed. "They definitely looked out for each other. There was a rough element, for sure, but there were also people who genuinely cared for one another."

Both Don and Jim hope Gerald has found a better situation.  Jim said, “I have seen a number of other people in similar situations end up in a much better place, and I just hope that he's been able to find something that works better for him and that he's starting to improve.”

Loving Christ in the Unhoused

The Church’s ministry remains, following the Gospel imperative, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (NABRE Mt 25:40)

Vic confirmed that the scope of the Order of Malta’s ministry continues. “We're going to keep doing what we've done before with hygiene kits and food and water and pet food. The venue just changed.  We are taking them to the transitional housing projects instead of the encampments.’

His longtime friend Gayle has also become an advocate for housing for her friends who still reside outdoors. She admitted that she struggles to understand why some refuse available placements because of program rules. "No matter where you go, there are rules," she said. "Even being out on the street, there are rules."

The rule that guides the Church’s ministers: loving the least of these means loving Christ.

Read part 1: https://thevalleycatholic.org/working-unhoused-vic-giacalone-larry-cargoni-monica-rising

Read part 2: https://thevalleycatholic.org/loving-christ-unhoused-part-2-don-mary-shower-volunteer