Boise Catholic Worker was founded in 1998. It all began as a simple effort to make life easier for Boise’s homeless day job workers. Catholic Workers opened the local soup kitchen at 5:00 AM and provided coffee, juice, hard-boiled eggs and donuts. We also made sandwiches for those going to work that day.

From this simple ministry of hospitality a homeless day center and a house of hospitality, and a social services outreach center were eventually opened. The homeless day center Corpus Christi House has become an ecumenical effort where Catholic Workers continue to do works of mercy with other faith-based groups.

Our Boise Catholic Worker house of hospitality is Thomas Merton House. It has been in existence since March 2005 and provides transitional housing to chronically homeless individuals.

Our main focus has been to provide safe hospitable housing for those who are mentally ill and/or suffering from addictions and seeking treatment. We believe that the majority of those living on the streets are suffering from mental illness and/or addictions. We believe homeless mentally ill and addicted are those most shunned by Boise’s urban society and they are hidden from sight within the concrete nooks and crannies of the city. They are often banned from local shelters and cannot even camp along the river without being ticketed. This forces them to walk the streets sometimes all night or to find an alley, dumpster, or some hidden place where they can sleep. This suffering prevents them from securing permanent shelter and meeting their basic survival needs. Some have died in the winter from freezing. Boise’s chronically homeless mentally ill and addicted are the suffering Christ whom we Catholic Workers seek to serve in our house of hospitality.

Our service includes but isn’t limited to the following:

• Special Occasion meals for community.
• House meetings covering hygiene, house rules, housekeeping details, and proper house communication skills/behavior such as conflict management.
• Assisting and encouraging residents to find job opportunities within their abilities and assisting them to fill out applications when requested.
• Providing transportation to job, medical and counseling appointments.
• Visits to restaurants and entertainment events to practice socialization skills.
• Help as needed to apply for disability benefits to include: filling out SSI applications, scheduling and attending SSI appointments.
• Learning to care for our environment through conservation efforts and recycling at our houses.
• Self-esteem building activities such as gardening, cooking, and sewing.
• Often participate as advocates for residents with mental health needs.

A recent addition to our services has been a Social Service Outreach Center; Lazarus House.  A master social worker provides case management and counseling services on a scheduled appointment basis.  Lazarus House also has a space for a catholic worker social justice library where workers can explore, debate and learn about social injustices affecting our world.

If you would like more information on the House of Hospitality or the Social Outreach Center, please contact Ellen Piper at ellen@boisecatholicworker.org or call 208.629.5306