As we begin a new fiscal year at Talbot Interfaith Shelter, we’re reflecting on all that our incredible community made possible this month. Sending children to summer camp and stocking our shelves with essential items, and thanks to the incredible generosity of YOU, Talbot Interfaith Shelter met—and surpassed—our Team TIS $200,000 Match Challenge! Your kindness continues to create hope, stability, and opportunity for our neighbors. Thank you for standing with us and believing in our mission.
Scroll down to see what YOU made possible for our guests this month!
Letter from the Executive Director
None of what we do at Talbot Interfaith Shelter happens without our incredible community. Read Executive Director Julie Lowe’s letter as she shares a heartfelt thank you, celebrates what we’ve achieved together, and invites you to continue making hope possible in the year ahead.
Every milestone our guests reach is the result of hard work, determination, and a commitment to building a brighter future. Through our S4 Program, guests continue taking important steps toward stability and self-sufficiency. This month, several guests obtained their vaccine records, removing a barrier to employment and allowing them to apply for jobs.
We’re also celebrating exciting housing milestones! Amanda recently secured permanent housing with the help of Delmarva Community Services and has successfully moved out of Evelyn’s Place. Meanwhile, Leloni is beginning an exciting new chapter after moving into one of our transitional apartments.
Employment continues to be a major focus for many of our guests. At Easton’s Promise, LaTanya accepted a second job with Dollar General, while Nicole joined the team at Visiting Angels. In our transitional apartments, Wendy secured not one, but two new jobs at Bougee Brewery and Project Chesapeake.
And finally, a special congratulations to Tony—who many of you may remember from Lip Sync Battle—as he prepares for an exciting new role: grandfather! We couldn’t be happier for him and his growing family.
These achievements are made possible through the determination of our guests and the unwavering support of our community. To our donors, volunteers, and partners: thank you for believing in our mission and investing in the lives of our neighbors. Your generosity provides more than shelter. It creates opportunities, removes barriers, and makes stories like these possible. Every success we celebrate is one we share with you!
More Than Just Camp
Summer camp is more than just a week of fun, it’s an opportunity for children to make memories, build confidence, and simply enjoy being kids. Thanks to camperships provided by the Children’s Home Foundation and everyone who donated camp supplies off our Wishlist, 12 children in the S4 Program were able to attend camp this summer!
Some traveled to Camp Danny Davis in Pennsylvania, while others participated in local programs through the YMCA and BAAM. We are incredibly grateful to the Children’s Home Foundation for making these experiences possible and helping our children enjoy a summer filled with adventure, friendship, and memories they’ll carry with them long after camp ends. Thank you!
Your support continues to create stability, hope, and opportunity for our neighbors in need, and we cannot thank YOU enough for standing beside us.
From volunteer to staff member, Bill Wilson’s journey with Talbot Interfaith Shelter is a testament to the power of service. Learn what inspires his commitment to our mission and why his teammates say he’s one of a kind.
Click the button below to read Sheila’s profile!
As we kicked off a new fiscal year, our volunteers reminded us once again that every act of kindness makes a difference. Throughout the month, volunteers prepared dinners, provided house-sitting coverage at our shelters, delivered much-needed donations, and even spent time folding letters and stuffing envelopes for our Mid-Year Appeal mailing.
While preparing a fundraising mailing may not be the first thing people think of when they picture volunteering, it’s one of the many ways our community helps sustain our mission. Every envelope prepared is an opportunity to connect with supporters whose generosity helps provide safe shelter, meals, case management, and the everyday essentials our guests need as they work toward stable housing.
Whether they were serving a warm meal, welcoming guests, stocking our shelves, or lending a hand behind the scenes, our volunteers helped make Talbot Interfaith Shelter a place of hope and hospitality. We are deeply grateful to each person who gave their time, talents, and compassion this month. Thank you for being an essential part of Team TIS!
If you are volunteering at our shelters, be on the lookout for TIS staff, who may ask if they can take your photo. We hope you’ll say, “Cheese!” Sharing your volunteer experience can help us recruit others who might be interested in donating their time in support of our mission. On that note, if you or someone you know is interested in learning more about TIS volunteer opportunities, please contact us at 410-690-3120!
Meeting the Need Together
As Talbot Interfaith Shelter continues to serve more neighbors than ever before—an average of 63 people each month compared to 55 last year—the need for everyday essentials continues to grow. From toilet paper and cleaning supplies to bedding and other household essentials, these items help make our shelters and transitional apartments feel like home. But shelves that are full one week can be nearly empty the next as families and individuals move through our program.
Thankfully, Morgan Stanley saw that need and stepped up to help. Throughout June, they hosted a donation drive on behalf of TIS and collected items off our wishlist. By the end of the month, their generosity filled so many donation boxes that we nearly needed two trips to bring everything back to TIS! We’re incredibly grateful to everyone at Morgan Stanley who donated and helped make this drive such a success. Your generosity will make a meaningful difference for the families and individuals we serve.
Community support like this keeps our shelves stocked and allows us to respond when needs arise. If you’d like to help, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our weekly Wishlist Wednesday posts (and share them!). Our needs change quickly, and each week is an opportunity to make a direct impact on the lives of our neighbors.
A Legacy of Kindness
“Joyce has been a stalwart, faithful employee and supporter of TIS all through the years.” – Julie Lowe
If you’ve spent any time at Talbot Interfaith Shelter over the past decade, chances are you’ve met Joyce Scharch.
Joyce first joined Talbot Interfaith Shelter as a volunteer with the Democratic Women’s Club in 2015. It didn’t take long for our team to recognize her dedication, and she officially joined the staff that November as House Manager & Supervisor for Easton’s Promise.
Throughout the years, she has faithfully served our guests, supported our volunteers, and built lasting relationships throughout our community. Thanks to Joyce’s careful coordination, countless volunteers helped ensure our guests enjoyed warm meals and a welcoming environment each day.
While we’ll miss seeing Joyce around the shelter each day, her kindness, dedication, and the countless lives she’s touched will continue to be part of TIS for years to come. We wish her good health, happiness, and every blessing in this exciting new chapter of retirement!
Housing in Talbot County Isn’t What It Seems
Talbot County has housing — just look around. So why are so many local workers and families without a permanent place to call home? Team TIS has been out in the community digging into that question, and the answer is more complex than it appears.
In his recent interview with The Spy, Ross Benincasa, Vice Chair of our Board and Fello’s Senior Vice President of Community Development, explains that the issue isn’t the number of homes — it’s the mismatch between what exists and what local workers can afford. Talbot County has a large population, but many residents are retirees, meaning the workforce is smaller than it looks. And many of the people who do work here can’t afford to live here. Add in identical impact fees whether you build a camper or a large home, and you end up with almost no starter homes and very few options for families trying to get stable.
Ross also shares how Fello Communities is responding: setting aside 30% of low‑income units without vouchers or tax credits and partnering with organizations like Talbot Interfaith Shelter to support families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness.
In a Spy Community Check-In: Homelessness in Talbot, Julie Lowe, our Executive Director, joins Andy Hollis and Nancy Andrew as they highlight another critical gap: Talbot County doesn’t have the infrastructure for a true continuum of housing. We’re missing a low‑barrier/no‑barrier shelter, and seniors are increasingly vulnerable — a concern raised by the Senior Citizens Taskforce, which Julie serves on.
Both conversations point to the same truth: Talbot County has housing, but not the right kinds of housing — and not enough pathways for neighbors to move from crisis to stability.
To understand the full picture, we encourage you to watch both interviews!
There are so many ways to partner with Talbot Interfaith Shelter to fight homelessness on the Mid-Shore. With your help, we provide Shelter, Stability, Support, and a path to Success for our neighbors in need. Scroll down to explore opportunities to help and choose those that speak to your heart. No matter how you participate, we are so grateful to have you on Team TIS!
We are incredibly fortunate to operate in a community that supports us in so many ways. Our local business community is no exception. Many amazing business partners help us to fulfill our mission. There are partnerships at various financial levels, each with benefits that help our partners maximize their advertising dollars while changing the lives of families and individuals in our community.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a business partner, or need information about how to return your application, contact Laura Richeson at lauraricheson@talbotinterfaithshelter.org or 443-786-6962 or simply fill out the form below.
Our Business Partners
Keys to Success Partners
Raise the Roof Partners
Home Builder Partners
Open Doors Partners
Foundation Partners
Eastern Shore Title Co.
Scossa Restaurant