Five Questions With: Don Wolfe

DON WOLFE is executive director of McAuley Ministries, which includes McAuley House, McAuley Village, McAuley Village Child Care Learning Center and The Warde-robe. / COURTESY MCAULEY MINISTRIES
DON WOLFE is executive director of McAuley Ministries, which includes McAuley House, McAuley Village, McAuley Village Child Care Learning Center and The Warde-robe. / COURTESY MCAULEY MINISTRIES

Don Wolfe is the executive director of McAuley Ministries, which includes McAuley House, McAuley Village, McAuley Village Child Care Learning Center and The Warde-robe. He joined McAuley Ministries in September 2006 after serving as director of Phoenix House of New England and remains an active member of that organization’s board of directors. He also previously served as director and trustee for the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and as an adjunct professor in the department of management at Johnson & Wales University.

PBN: What was the impetus behind creating the “Lunch on Us at McAuley House” program?
WOLFE:
As executive director of a nonprofit, I see a lot of the great work being done across Rhode Island’s nonprofit community, but always felt there could be a better way to provide corporate partners with opportunities that allowed them to be continuously involved in our work. So the idea behind “Lunch on Us at McAuley House” was to unite sponsorship and volunteerism, creating something that would be more than a one-off event, while helping the hungry and the homeless.

First, the financial sponsorship we receive is crucial to our ability to serve hundreds of meals each day. But secondly, there is an amazing trickle-down effect for employees of our sponsors. Those employees introduced to us for the first time through “Lunch on Us” often decide to get involved on a personal level because of how they feel when giving back. I’ve always said the strongest leaders lead by example. One of the most powerful aspects of “Lunch on Us” is when corporate leadership works side-by-side, for the benefit of others, with employees from every level in their company.

PBN: “Lunch on Us at McAuley House” began its 10th year in November – how has this effort impacted how you serve those at risk of hunger? How do you keep the program fresh?
WOLFE:
The biggest impact is a continuous stream of both financial and volunteer support for our meal site ministry, McAuley House, where everything we do is delivered with the core values of hospitality, compassion and dignity. I’m proud of the program’s success, because when we know a month’s lunches have been sponsored, it allows us to engage other partners to grow our breakfast program and the activities-based afternoon program, which now includes an evening takeaway meal.

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Interestingly enough, I think “Lunch on Us” remains fresh in an organic way. Our corporate partners often have new employees who want to volunteer for the first time after hearing about the positive experiences of their colleagues. And, as the years go by, this growth in internal interest allows many of our sponsors to take on even more volunteer days during their particular month – we have some groups who fill all 22 working days in a month with volunteer teams because everyone wants to be a part of “Lunch on Us.”

PBN: How has the program been received by McAuley House’s community partners – what type of feedback do you get?
WOLFE:
I don’t think there’s any question “Lunch on Us” has been very well received. Proof of this is how Citizens Bank joined us in celebrating the start of the program’s 10th year in November. Their senior executive team made it a priority to serve our guests and organize teams of volunteers to help throughout the month. They were our founding sponsor and their support today is even stronger than when they first helped us launch. In the coming year, we’ll have other sponsors, like Amica, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Delta Dental, celebrate their 10th year of support. Above all, the feedback we receive captures how powerful it is when businesses and their employees experience firsthand the impact of their generosity when volunteering. Like I mentioned earlier, there is great work being done across Rhode Island’s nonprofit community, and we often hear how “Lunch on Us” is meeting a crucial need; that makes getting involved an easy decision for our partners.

PBN: Why was it important for you to incorporate volunteerism in a program that also generates financial support for your work? What benefit has this had?
WOLFE:
Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, made it her life’s work to connect those who had with those who did not. I see “Lunch on Us” as a way for us to follow in those footsteps, connecting people to their struggling neighbors. But, the connections this program makes are even deeper. Many of our regular volunteers have been with us for 10 to 15 years, or more, and are delighted to work side-by-side with new volunteers. They forge relationships with “Lunch on Us” volunteers by sharing in the positive difference they’re making in the lives of others. Receiving this level of support also impacts our other ministries so we can help even more people. At McAuley Village, homeless mothers and their children are on a path to self-sufficiency; at our Child Care Learning Center, the youngest among us get the high-quality early education that builds the foundation for success in life and at The Warde-robe, our thrift store in Central Falls, poor working families have access to quality, modestly-priced, gently-used clothing and household goods.

PBN: Has Rhode Island’s improving economy affected the number of people turning to McAuley House for aid? How does the number of people you’re serving today compare with last year or the year before?
WOLFE:
The incremental improvements to the state’s economy, while they’ve benefited some, have not reached the homeless and poverty-stricken that we see at their most vulnerable. Many of our guests have jobs at the poverty level or slightly above, yet struggle to make ends meet between low wages, inadequate SNAP benefits and limited Social Security benefits. When “Lunch on Us” began, and even a couple of years ago, we’d serve around 200 lunches each day. We now serve 300 meals daily across our breakfast program, lunch and the evening takeaway meals. We’re also doing more outreach – the meal site is what brings people to McAuley House, but once they’re here, we know they need more. Our social ministry team works with guests to provide guidance, housing advocacy, social and health services, emergency prescription help and rental assistance when a security deposit is what stands in a family’s way from getting off the street and into their own home. Once we fill the basic need for food, our social ministry team helps our guests take that next step.

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