[NEWS] Pope’s visit empowers initiative to aid and end homelessness in Philly

From Al Dia News: 

“I experienced poverty and hunger. Sleeping in cars and knocking on doors for food. It came to the point where I just stopped eating all together to save food for my grandson and you can see it still lingers on, that’s the kind of impact this has on you,” said María Guzman, a North Philly resident and member of the World Meeting of Families Hunger and Homelessness Committee.

Guzman is a widow who is raising her grandchild and whose life changed when she started volunteering at the Community Center at Visitation B.V.M., in the Kensington area. She is now part of a committee created by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput to address the needs and challenges of hundreds of homeless people during Pope Francis’ visit in Philadelphia.

An interfaith effort, the group is composed of civic and religious leaders who are planning to welcome and honor the Pope with a campaign “to end homelessness, hunger and poverty.”