It is a pleasure to put a spotlight on Isaiah House, an organization that relies on the generosity of our community to help people who need assistance.  The work of Isaiah House is provided under the guidance of Dwight and Leia Smith.  They began volunteering at Isaiah House in 1993, and moved into the house to oversee the charity in 1997.  It is not work for the Smiths, it is a life commitment.

Dwight and Leia are part of the Catholic Worker movement, which began in 1933 when Dorothy Day decided to address social problems through a newspaper called the “Catholic Worker.”  She also established houses of hospitality and farming co-ops. Today, there is a “house of hospitality” in every major city in the U.S., where the homeless, the hungry, and the forsaken are welcome.

Isaiah House of Orange County is one of those houses of hospitality.  It is a beautiful, two-story, 100-year-old building located in Santa Ana’s eastside barrio on Cypress Street.  At Isaiah House, meals, bags of food, clothing, and toiletries are provided to those who need it; shelter is provided to women; and an address to receive mail is provided to individuals who are homeless.  Isaiah House also provides emergency assistance, a relaxing backyard, and always a friendly ear and kind words of support. From the kitchen, 3,500 meals are served per week.  Additionally, an even larger number of meals are served downtown.

Dwight, Leia, and the people who work with them at Isaiah House exemplify the love we should all give each other.