Fresno's Poverello House honors founder's life and mission

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The Poverello House gave a heartfelt tribute to its laminitis through a societal media station on Monday, reminding Fresnans of the galore contributions of "Papa" Mike McGarvin.

"He was not conscionable a leader, but a husband, a father, and a antheral who believed nary 1 should ever beryllium forgotten," the station work successful part.

Papa Mike founded the Poverello House successful the 1970s successful Fresno aft a turbulent clip successful San Francisco. According to the Poverello House's website, Papa Mike was connected the accelerated way to becoming 1 of the galore casualties of the decade; drugs, alcohol, violence, and hopelessness were a salient portion of his regular daily until helium recovered a spot successful San Francisco called Poverello.

Several years later, Mike joined his woman Mary, and they moved to Fresno.

Officials with the Poverello location accidental helium worked arsenic a photographer, but was searching for "a mode to repay God for redeeming his life". The reply came erstwhile helium noticed stateless radical connected the streets of Fresno.

He began handing retired peanut food sandwiches, talking to people, and letting them cognize idiosyncratic cared astir them. What began with a fewer peanut food sandwiches and the elemental enactment of listening grew into thing overmuch greater.

Mike's tiny ministry soon grew, and others began to articulation and help. According to the Poverello House's website, a storefront gathering was obtained, and helium named it aft the spot that had saved him successful San Francisco, Poverello House.

In the 1990s, Poverello House expanded to a larger gathering astatine its existent determination connected 412 F Street, which allowed it to broaden its services to conscionable the needs of the community.

Officials accidental Poverello House was calved from compassion and built connected the content that each idiosyncratic deserves dignity, care, and community. Eight years later, connected the day of his passing, officials accidental his bequest lives connected successful "every repast served, each idiosyncratic welcomed, and each enactment of kindness offered."

We transportation his ngo guardant with the aforesaid bosom and intent that guided him

Poverello House provides 3 meals a day, 365 days a year, to men, women and families on with services that amended people's prime of beingness successful Fresno.