News/Press Releases

Regis Philbin, SCI Humanitarian Award Recipient
April 2, 2012

On Thursday, May 17, 2012, The St. Christopher's Inn Board of Directors, joined by Regis Philbin, recipient of the SCI Humanitarian Award, will be celebrating the miracles that occur every day at St. Christopher's Inn during the 8th Annual St. Christopher’s Inn Board of Directors Dinner at The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, New York.  Mr. Ken Rosato, WABC Emmy Award-Winning News Anchor is the Honorary Chair for the event. 

The Board of Directors is very happy to present the SCI Humanitarian Award to Regis Philbin, American media personality, actor and singer for his years of dedication to worthy causes and charities, including his support of the homeless. Additionally, the Board will honor His Excellency, the Most Rev. Dr. Jude Ayodeji Arogundade, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Nigeria. In a recent letter from the Bishop to Fr. Bill he writes, “We remain partners in the noble mission of building a society where no one will be held under the bondage of addiction.”  The Board is also privileged to honor National Labor Assistance Professionals (LAP).  LAP has been committed to ensuring the availability of quality and effective chemical dependency and mental health treatment services for workers and their families since its inception in 1991.

The Board of Directors is very happy to welcome, Mr. Duane Jackson as the SCI Alumni speaker for the evening.  Mr. Jackson is best known as the NYC street vendor who, in May of 2010, alerted NYPD officers to the suspicious SUV parked in Time Square that turned out to contain an explosive device.  Mr. Jackson credits St. Christopher’s Inn with saving his life in 1991, and is grateful for the opportunity to have saved many more lives in Time Square on that fateful day

Mr. Bill Evans, 9-time Emmy Award winning Meteorologist for WABC-TV New York, NY, and New York Times Best Selling author, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.  The evening will commence with a reception at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner and presentations to the Honorees.  Sponsorships and Journals are available.   Proceeds of the Board Dinner will help St. Christopher’s Inn continue to provide care and services for those who are struggling to survive.

Over the last century, St. Christopher’s Inn has helped tens of thousands of homeless men.  Dedicated to the rehabilitation of men in crisis, St. Christopher’s Inn, a ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, offers a continuum of quality health care services that facilitate physical, emotional, and spiritual healing by providing temporary housing, primary health care and chemical dependency treatment.

For more information on the 8th Annual St. Christopher’s Inn Board of Directors Dinner, call or email Cynthia Gerber at 845-335-1081 cgerber@atonementfriars.org, or visit www.stchristophersinn.org.

 

St. Christopher's Inn Featured on WABC TV
February 7, 2012

On Sunday, January 29, 2012, WABC TV, Channel 7 re-aired the interview with Fr. Bill Drobach, SA, President and CEO of St. Christopher’s Inn, along with two current residents of St. Christopher’s Inn.  The men were featured on New York Viewpoint--a program produced by WABC TV, which focuses on cultural events and positive community efforts in NY. Viewpoint is a half hour program, which airs on Sunday mornings at 5.30am on WABC TV, Channel 7. The program features discussions in the studio with Ken Rosato, the morning and noon Anchor of Eyewitness News. Click here to watch the interview!  St. Christopher's Inn is featured in Part 2 of the November 6th show, which was re-aired on Sunday, January 29, 2012.

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Fr. Bill on Bloomberg Radio
December 10, 2011

Fr. Bill Drobach, SA, President & CEO of St. Christopher's Inn, was interviewed by Charlie Pellet for "Bloomberg On the Weekend'" for Bloomberg Internet Radio.  Listen Here!

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SCI Thrift Shop Featured in "Hike of the Week"
November 30, 2011

Ralph Ferrusi featured the St. Christopher's Inn "That Nothing be Lost" Thrift Shop in his Hike of the Week article for the Poughkeepsie Journal.  Forget the crowds at the Mall and do your Christmas Shopping here.  There are treasures around every corner!   Hike of the Week: Short trip on AT leads to special store.

   (Photo Courtesy of Ralph Ferrusi)

SCI Excellent OASAS Scorecard Revealed
November 30, 2011

Check out the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services Scorecard for the St. Christopher's Inn Day Rehabilitation Program.  We are very proud of the results.  Thank you SCI Friars and Staff for your hard work, making SCI an exemplary program.  SCI OASAS Scorecard

Success Rates at St. Christopher's Inn bring Visitors
October 12, 2011

Queens Supreme Court Presiding Judge, Honorable Marcia Hirsch, along with several members of her staff, visited St. Christopher's Inn yesterday.  Judge Hirsch is so impressed with the positive results she sees from the men she sends to St. Christopher's Inn, she wanted to come and see for herself what the buzz is all about.  Read more about her visit in this article from The Journal News.

Alumni Picnic
August 6, 2011

The St. Christopher's Inn annual Alumni Picnic is an event that the Friars, Staff and Brothers Christopher look forward to all year.  It's an opportunity for the many men who found their way home at St. Christopher's Inn to reunite and celebrate!  This year was no exception.  More than 200 alumni showed up, with their families, for a day of fun, food and festivities on August 6th at the Inn.  The day began, as usual, with Mass in Pilgrim Hall, followed by a performance from the current St. Christopher's Inn Choir, and then joined by all Choir Alumni.  Check in at the Picnic Grounds went smoothly thanks to all the Staff Volunteers, and everyone ate their fill.  The annual current residents vs. alumni in softball is always a big hit, and thanks to Tony Merando and his band, the live music was exceptional.  As always, the highlight of the day came with the opportunity to "Dunk" the staff, one by one, who were brave enough to take a turn in the dunk tank.  Each member of the St. Christopher's Inn staff consider this day to be very special--a gratifying opportunity to celebrate years of hard work by and with the many men who darkened the door of St. Christopher's Inn broken, but left full of hope and promise.  To see some of the comments by St. Christopher's Inn Alumni, check out our Testimonials.

Board of Directors Dinner
May 26, 2011

What a wonderful evening!  On May 26th, we celebrated the service and commitment of our honorees, Mr. Peter Pritchard of Pritchard Industries, Inc. and Brother Benedict Teresawa, SA, along with the good work of the Friars, staff and residents of St. Christopher's Inn at the 7th Annual Board of Directors Dinner.  While the guests attempted to out bid each other for the luxury items at the Silent Auction, old friends were reunited and new acquaintances were introduced--all in the spirit of hope and recovery. 

     Ambassador Shigeki Sumi of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, and long-time friend of Br. Benny Teresawa, SA, kicked off the evening with a warm welcome for all guests.  The Very Rev. Jude Arogundade was kind enough to give the invocation before the meal, expressing his admiration for the Inn and the good work that goes on there.  Bill Evans, Master of Ceremonies for the evening, spoke of his visit to St. Christopher's Inn and his commitment to helping the Inn and the residents as they work toward changing their lives.  Mr. Pritchard also spoke of his visit to the Inn with his wife, Zohreh, and the touching performance by the men's choir.  Br. Benny asked for forgiveness before his speech as his English was "made in Japan."  However, the highlight of the evening came when Atticus L., a St. Christopher's Inn Alumnus, shared his story.  After speaking about his time in and out of rehab programs, and his struggle with addiction that began when he was in his teens, Atticus thanked the Friars, Staff and Benefactors of St. Christopher's Inn for giving his mother the opportunity to hear him stand up and tell his story of RECOVERY! 

     Thanks to everyone who attended, donated, bought journal ads, and donated or bought silent auction items.  You helped to make the Board of Directors Dinner a memorable night and a huge success.  You are hepling to change lives for the better.

 

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Contact:

Cynthia Gerber, St. Christopher’s Inn, 845 335-1081, cgerber@atonementfriars.org

 

IBM Employees Care about Helping the Homeless at St. Christopher’s Inn
October 13, 2010

IBM Cares — about helping the men in crisis at St. Christopher’s Inn get back on their feet. In fact, several of the employees of IBM have demonstrated just how much they care, by donating their time to set-up a new computer lab at St. Christopher’s Inn. Ten new computers were donated to St. Christopher's Inn by IBM, and will be used by the residents to create resumes, learn keyboarding and other computer skills, and access documents to assist them in their recovery from the disease of addiction.

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Centennial Brick Walk and Meditation Garden at St. Christopher’s Inn will be revealed on Sunday, October 3, 2010 at 2pm
September 27, 2010

Garrison, NY . . . As part of the 100-year celebration of St. Christopher's Inn in 2009, the Centennial Brick Walk has taken shape, and will be revealed to the public on Sunday, October 3, 2010 at 2 pm. Bricks, benches, planters and lamp posts, all purchased over the past two years and inscribed with personal messages of hope, celebration, inspiration and encouragement, have been placed in the Brick Walk in front of the Inn, and stand ready for the many visitors who will come to St. Christopher's Inn for the next 100 years. Join us for this celebration of hope, and learn how to purchase your own piece of new history within this 100 year-old ministry.

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The Homeless Help the Homeless: The Residents of St. Christopher’s Inn Fast in February to send Help to Haiti
February 1, 2010

Garrison, NY ….  The homeless are helping the homeless.The residents of St. Christopher’s Inn, a homeless shelter and substance abuse treatment center, have chosen to give up their usual midday meal for a bowl of soup on each Wednesday in the month of February.

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St. Christopher’s Inn Awarded Three-Year CARF Accreditation
January 27, 2010

Garrison, NY . . . CARF International announced that St. Christopher’s Inn has been accredited for a period of three years for its Alcohol and Substance Abuse Outpatient Treatment Programs. This is the first accreditation that the international accrediting body has awarded to St. Christopher's Inn.

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Project Renewal and St. Christopher’s Inn Collaborate on Farm Market Stand
June 16, 2009

Garrison, NY …. We grow hope. And vegetables and flowers. This is the goal of Renewal Farm, a social purpose enterprise run by Project Renewal, a not-for-profit organization committed to improving the lives of homeless men and women.

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Fr. Bill Drobach, SA, CEO of St. Christopher's Inn, pictured with Master of Ceremonies, Bill Evans, WABC Senior Meteorologist and NYTimes Best-Selling Author

Judge HirschQueens Supreme Court Presiding Judge Marcia Hirsch with Fr. Bill Drobach, SA and Marianne Taylor-Rhoades