Anita Draper
Catholic Herald staff
St. Patrick Parish, Hudson, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of Fill the Cracks, a program designed “To be the face, hands and feet of Christ to community members and released jail inmates struggling to regain their way in the world by providing resources to allow them to stand with pride and purpose again,” according to its mission statement.
Dcn. Gregg Miller, chairman of the committee, recently distributed a letter to his fellow Diocese of Superior deacons discussing the new ministry’s first year. Their first client was served on a Dec. 23, 2024, a man originally from northern Minnesota who had alienated friends and family through a long history of alcoholism and had no home, food or possessions, beyond those in a duffle bag, and was on the streets on a bitterly cold night.
The man was given a ride, food and three nights’ stay in a hotel. He requested a free sobriety program; Dcn. Miller met with him on Dec. 26 and presented him with a plan to admit himself to Ramsey County Detox Center in Minnesota and request long-term treatment. The client agreed. The treatment was funded through Minnesota’s Medicaid program.
“This was the first of 71 clients Fill the Cracks served as of the time of this writing,” the deacon explained. “Each of the 71 clients had one common need, an organization to ‘guide’ them towards a plan to begin a fresh start … Fill the Cracks is filling this need.”
In its quest to connect those in need with local and regional services, Fill the Cracks spent more than 200 hours “researching county and local nonprofit programs, documenting them my specific services and sorting them by location.
“An example is the new Detox Center at Osceola Medical Center in Osceola, WI. This 24/7 facility takes private pay, insurance and Badger Care,” he wrote. “We are finding new agencies weekly and growing the resource list.
“A side note, one of our mantras is ‘to give them a hand up, not a handout,’” he added. Fill the Cracks provides resources; clients “provide the success.” The ministry is available for follow-up, but they don’t do hand-holding, and clients are responsible for doing what they can for themselves. Of the 71 clients, only two disobeyed the rules of conduct and were discharged from service: “That means 69 successes!”
Fill the Cracks hosted a Community Resources Fair in October and assembled 21 local government and nonprofit agencies. The purpose was to get agencies to meet and communicate, he said. Another fair is planned for this year.
Moving forward, Dcn. Miller said the ministry has four primary needs: 1) Prayerful support to maintain our mission; 2) Additional funding for ministry and a very small staff; 3) more volunteers; and 4) increase publicity and notoriety.
“It has been a hectic, yet quite successful year,” he concluded. Starting any venture from scratch has its challenges. But we have been blessed by meeting and partnering with wonderful, caring people and dedicated organizations. Fill the Cracks can confidently meet clients and provide a glimmer of hope when they have lost much hope.”
Dcn. Miller can be reached at .
