The Warde-robe is an Anchor for Liberian Family
When Genevieve Cole moved from Liberia to the United States in the 1980s, she left behind all she knew—and all she had.
“When you come to a strange country, you have to start all over,” she said. “We started from scratch.”
Eventually, she and her husband, both of whom work, saved enough money to buy a home in Providence. But Genevieve, who works in a school, cut back on her hours to care for her son, who has special needs. Finances were tight. Five years ago, a friend told her about the Warde-robe, a McAuley thrift store in Central Falls. And Cole discovered her favorite new store.
“You name it, I’ve gotten it from the Warde-robe,” she said.
Pots, pans, decorations, curtains and clothing are some of the items she lists. But finding affordable goods is only partly why she visits the store at 1286 Broad Street. She’s also found a place that knows—and welcomes—her and son Julien.
“Julien has a special friend there,” Cole said.
A Warde-robe volunteer spends time on Saturday morning reading to Julien—his favorite activity – while his mother shops.
“I haven’t seen that,” elsewhere, she said. “Where they cater to your needs.”
Providing such hospitality is a goal of the Warde-robe staff and volunteers, said manager Donna Benetti.
“The Mercy spirit is important to all of us,” Benetti said. “We want to make everyone feel welcome.”Linda Silva: A McAuley Miracle
Visit McAuley House’s bustling kitchen and you might see Linda Silva, washing loads of dishes to ensure a steady supply of plates.
Linda has been a part of the McAuley House community for more than 15 years, arriving as a victim of domestic violence, struggling with alcoholism.
She blossomed into a faith-filled volunteer.
“I am a miracle,” she said. “Without grace and mercy, I wouldn’t be here.”
Linda’s life was marked by suffering and violence when her son told her to visit McAuley House for a free lunch. He said she’d be served as if in a restaurant.
“I said, ‘There’s no place in the world where there’s a free lunch’.”
Her son, though, was right. McAuley House was a place where she could eat with a sense of dignity. She listened to long-time chef Gladys Hall pray before the meal, and knew she had found safe harbor.
“I said ‘this has got to be the place for me’.”
Linda asked outreach worker Sr. Wilma for a job. There were no paid positions, she was told, but she could help clean. And so began her long history with the House.
Eventually, over time and with the support of Sr. Joan and Sr. Wilma at McAuley House, AA meetings, McAuley House volunteers and others whom Linda says God placed in her path, she left an abusive relationship, found sobriety, and learned what it meant to experience—and give—love. “I hadn’t known what that word meant,” she said.
Linda is an inspiration, said House administrator Rev. Mary Margaret Earl. “She is amazingly strong, faith-filled and compassionate,” Rev. Earl said. “I deeply admire her.”
Linda credits God for the changes in her life. Now, she reaches out to others who are suffering when they arrive at McAuley House. “I love the people,” she said. “I can identify.”A "Piece of Heaven" at McAuley Village
When Yveline Bontemp graduated from high school in 1996, she had a secret: She couldn’t read and write.
As a 15-year-old, she’d fled with her family to the United States from conflict-ridden Haiti. She and her 5 siblings were split up among friends and family in Rhode Island as the family struggled to survive. She entered the eighth grade speaking no English, and unable to write in any language.
“I didn’t know my ABC’s,” she said.
She hid her “problem” after graduation, working in a nursing home as a dietary aide, then a prep cook. At night she began drinking to numb her pain.
“I had a hole,” she said. “I couldn’t talk to people I knew about my literacy … deep down inside, I wanted to learn.”
In 2004, she gave birth to son, Shamarey, and moved from a family member’s home into a one-room basement apartment—all she could afford. There, she lived with dead rodents and hanging electrical wires.
“I knew it was unsafe,” she said.
A friend suggested she apply to McAuley Village, a two-year transitional housing program for single parents and their children. Residents receive help with budgeting, parenting skills and finding permanent housing, among other supportive services.
The Village is a place where struggling mothers can develop their potential, said Sr. Holly Cloutier, resident services coordinator.
There, Yveline stopped drinking, and began literacy classes at a nearby program. Shamarey began attending on-site day care while she worked. And Yveline began moving toward her dreams: to write a book, and earn a college degree.
“McAuley Village was a piece of heaven for me,” she said. “That’s when things started getting easier. That’s when I started trusting God more.”
