For 40 years, Samaritan House has welcomed children and families with safety, compassion and hope. This year, as we celebrate that milestone, we found a new way to tell its story—through the eyes of a teddy bear named Sammy.
Sammy’s Adventures at Samaritan House introduces young readers to Sammy, whose three most important jobs are listening, snuggling and helping children feel brave.
Through his adventures, children learn not only about the history of Samaritan House but also what they’ll find when they arrive: caring people, warm meals, safe places to play and, most importantly, a place where they belong.
The idea for the book grew from our Cozy Companion Drive. We discovered that when children arriving at Samaritan House are invited to choose a stuffed animal to keep, their anxiety often melts away. That simple gift becomes a friend to hug at bedtime and a comforting reminder that they are safe.
Over the past 18 months, Catholic parishes, schools and community groups have donated thousands of stuffed animals through the Cozy Companion Drive. Those donations have brought comfort not only to children at Samaritan House but also to families served through Early Childhood Education, Catholic Charities Housing and Marisol Family locations. Sammy represents every one of those stuffed animals that has helped a frightened child feel just a little more at home.
As we developed the book, we also wanted to share the remarkable story behind Samaritan House itself. Long before Sammy welcomed children through its doors, Archbishop James V. Casey envisioned something the nation had never seen before—a building designed specifically to serve families experiencing homelessness with dignity and compassion. Before his passing, Archbishop Casey broke ground for Samaritan House in 1985. His successor, Archbishop James F. Stafford, carried that vision to completion, opening Samaritan House in 1986 as the first purpose-built shelter for individuals and families in the United States.
Sammy first came to life through the imagination of Graphic Designer and Project Manager Shelley Bezek. Having spent 10 years at Catholic Charities, Bezek understood exactly what Samaritan House means to the children and families we serve. Pairing her illustrations with a story by Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement Stacy Baum, she helped transform four decades of history into a book filled with warmth, wonder and hope.
Thanks to generous supporters, we will share copies of Sammy’s Adventures at Samaritan House with children during Samaritan House’s 40th anniversary celebration and continue sharing them with families in the months ahead.
For us, this book is about much more than celebrating a building. It is another way we can welcome children with the same love that has guided Samaritan House for four decades. Every page, every illustration and every stuffed animal carries the same message: You are welcome. You belong. You are loved.