THE SETON HOUSE: BUILDING HOUSES SEVERAL CHARITABLE PROJECTS

A former convent building will be transformed this year into a place of comfort and shelter for those in need.

When converted, the three-story building at 815 Caruthers in Cape Girardeau will be home to a helping hand organization, as well as transitional housing.

Maxine's Sharable Wearables, a "clothes closet" for the needy, is already in operation and anchors the first floor.

The transitional program is designed to help people who want to move toward self sufficiency," said Denis Rigdon, Project HOPE coordinator, and a member of the Christian Service Department of St. Vincent De Paul Church, which offers a number of programs to help the needy and homeless, including home furnishings, clothing and other needs.

"We hope to get the center open by June," said Rigdon.

St. Vincent de Paul Church is providing the building and Family Intervention Resource Services Team (FIRST), which deals with about 100 homeless people a year, will provide the program.

The clothes closet

Maxine's Sharable Wearables, founded by Maxine Kirmaier more than a year ago, is on the first floor of the convent building.

"We have about two to three rooms of quality clothing," said Kirmaier. The clothing is free to anyone who needs it. "This is nice, clean clothing," she said. "The quality of the clothing is unbelievable. We have shoes, shirts, sweaters and coats."

Maxine's Sharable Wearables is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon and includes clothes for children, women and men.

"All we ask is that people get a referral from some organization or group, come by the center here Saturday and pick up clothing," Kirmaier said.

The clothes closet is just one of a number of services by the Christian Services Department of St. Vincent De Paul Church.

An auto program makes cars available to people for transportation to and from work.

The transitional housing program, expected to be in place by mid-summer, will offering living quarters to those who are saving money to obtain an education or find a job.

The transition center will be a short-term residence for those trying to improve their lives by setting short and long-term goals with the FIRST program.

The Seton House

The new transitional center will be called the Seton House, after the first American-born saint, Elizabeth Anne Seton, who founded the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children.

Seton was a widow before reaching the age of 30, and had five children by then. An Episcopalian, she converted to Catholicism at age 31. To support her children, she opened a school in New York City. The school flourished, and she was asked to help establish schools in other areas. She trained Catholic sisters to become teachers and wrote textbooks, while helping the poor, sick and minority populations. She later opened an orphanage. She was canonized in 1975 by Pope Paul VI.

The local Seton House will include 10 bedrooms, a kitchen and family room.