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Dorothy Day
​Co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement
​and Catholic Worker ​Newspaper
Picture
Dorothy Day was devout and left-wing, she believed we needed
“a revolution of the heart.”  
Photograph from Bob Fitch Photography
​ Archive / Department of Special Collections / Stanford University Libraries
The New Yorker "Dorothy Day's Radical Faith" 04/06/2020
DoROTHY DAY
 Dorothy Day ​(November 8, 1897 – November 29, 1980) became a Catholic without abandoning her social and anarchist activism.  

In 1917 she was imprisoned as a member of suffragist Alice Paul's nonviolent Silent Sentinels. In the 1930s, Day worked closely with fellow activist Peter Maurin to establish the Catholic Worker Movement,

She practiced civil disobedience, which led to additional arrests in 1955, 1957, and in 1973 at the age of seventy-five.

Day was also an active journalist, and described her social activism in her writings. Day co-founded the Catholic Worker newspaper in 1933, and served as its editor from 1933 until her death in 1980.
​

Dorothy Day died in 1980, Day is under consideration for sainthood by the Catholic Church.
Dorothy Day: wikipedia 6/08/2023
Catholic worker newspaper
On May 1, 1933  Day worked closely with fellow activist Peter Maurin to establish and published the first Catholic Worker Newspaper to make people aware of church teaching on social justice. 

​ The copies of the newspaper were sold for a penny.

Catholic Worker is still published seven times a year by the flagship Catholic Worker community in New York City. 
Catholic Worker (Newspaper): wikipedia 6/19/2023
catholic worker movement
​In 1933, during the Depression, Day worked closely with fellow activist Peter Maurin to establish the Catholic Worker Movement;
The Catholic Worker Movement started with the Catholic Worker newspaper, created by Dorothy Day to advance Catholic social teaching and stake out a neutral, Christian pacifist position in the war-torn 1930s.

Day attempted to put her words from the 
Catholic Worker into action through "houses of hospitality" and then through a series of farms for people to live together on communes.
The idea of 
voluntary poverty was advocated for those who volunteered to work at the houses of hospitality.
Many people would come to the Catholic Workers for assistance, only to become Workers themselves.
Initially, these houses of hospitality had little organization and no requirements for membership.
As time passed, however, some basic rules and policies were established. Day appointed the directors of each of the houses, but tried to maintain autonomy in the actual running of the houses.
​
Because of this policy, the houses varied in both size and character: in the 1930s, the St. Louis Workers served 3400 people a day while the Detroit Workers served around 600 a day.

In a nut shell...

 The collection of autonomous communities and Houses of hospitality of Catholics and their associates; They are also
a pacifist movement that combines direct aid for the poor and homeless with nonviolent direct action on their (the homeless') behalf.

One of its guiding principles is hospitality towards those on the margin of society, based on the principles of communitarianism and personalism. 
​
 Each  "house of hospitality" has a different mission, going about the work of social justice in its own way, suited to its local region.
Catholic Worker Movement: wikipedia 6/19/2023
House of HOspitality
In 1933, the Catholic Worker Movement opened the first House of Hospitality for women in New York. It could accommodate fifteen women, and it had heating and hot water. “The rent was paid by contributions from working girls in the parish of the Immaculate Conception Church, girls who themselves lived in cold water flats.”

A House of hospitality ​is an organization that provides shelter, and often food and clothing, to those who need it.

Originally part of the 
Catholic Worker Movement, houses of hospitality have been run by other organizations, including organizations that are not Catholic or Christian.
​
Founded on principals of 
Christian anarchism, the houses provide hospitality without charge and without requiring religious practice or attendance at services.
House of hospitality: wikipedia 06/19/2023 

In The Beginning...
2008 - 2010
​​2008
The Plan
The first unofficial tent community was established at Washtenaw County Park by Caleb Poirier and Tate Williams.
​ The camp used the self governing model that Caleb learned in Seattle as the basic structure for the camp.


2009
The Mission
Caleb Poirier and a group of dedicated individuals founded the first official camp which was named Camp Take Notice (CTN) at Arborland.

University of Michigan Law School helped M.I.S.S.I.O.N to be a 501 C3 non-profit organization.

Official M.I.S.S.I.O.N acronym founded (Michigan Itinerant Shelter System Interdependent Out of Necessity).

2010
Increased Awareness
Established a new camp on Ann Arbor-Saline Road after being evicted from Arborland by police.

Increased media coverage led to greater community awareness, support of social justice organizations and monetary support.

The tent community on Ann Arbor-Saline Road evicted.
​
2011-2014
​2011
Camp Flourishes
New Camp Take Notice was established on Wagner Road.

Camp triples in size, develops relationship with the Mdot, police, sheriff, county, and the Washtenaw Housing Alliance.

MISSION gains increased public awareness and support from area faith-based communities, service organizations and the University of Michigan.

Interview with BBC and confrontation with local and state agencies leads to another eviction.

2013
The Donation
Peggy Lynch founded Mercy House at her residence on White Street.

The concept based on Catholic Worker House, brought more legitimacy to the organization within the community.

Received a $100,000 anonymous donation for the purchase of property for a new CTN.

2014
The Purchasing of Purple House
Purchased house and property on Stone School Road with the intention of establishing a tent community and eventually a tiny house community.

Sheri Wander founded the Winter Daytime Warming Center to provide daytime shelter during the months of December thru March.
​
2015 - 2018
​2015
James E. Hill House
The name of the house was officially changed to the James E. Hill House in honor of Jimmy Hill, Board President and a strong voice in the homeless community. Jimmy died of cancer in June. He had a caring, dedicated, and compassionate heart for all.

2016
The New Chapter
Officially started planning tiny house community.
2019 - present
Picture
https://www.annarbor.com/news/scio-township-residents-concerned-vandalism-is-connected-to-area-homeless-population/
Articles That Mention MISSION
Homeless camp near I-94 settles into neighborhood
​west of Ann Arbor
 By Heidi Fenton
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  • HOME
    • Happenings
    • History
  • SERVICES
    • Jimmy Hill House
    • Mercy House
    • Hospitality House
    • Peace House Ypsi
    • RESOURCES >
      • Human Resources >
        • FOOD AND MEAL DISTRIBUTION A2 >
          • FOOD AND MEAL DISBURATION Ypsi
          • FOOD AND MEAL DISTRIBUTION Outside A2
      • Shelters and Warming Centers >
        • Family Emergency Motel Program
  • TAKE ACTION
    • Wish Lists >
      • Personal Hygiene & Care
      • Equipment
      • Clothing
  • CONTACT US