So Many Lives Changed, So Many Reasons to Celebrate!

Viator House of Hospitality residents and staff enjoy a special meal to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

Viator House of Hospitality reached its fifth anniversary this year, and despite all that is going on in the world today, this Viatorian ministry provides reasons to be joyful. Take a look at the numbers: In all, Viator House has been home to 97 men from 22 nations since it opened Jan. 17, 2017, as an alternative to detention for young immigrant men awaiting asylum hearings. Currently, 25 young men live at Viator House, coming from 10 countries. The home’s staff provides each resident with an array of services, from housing, food and clothing, to education, case management, spiritual support, advocacy and referrals and volunteer experiences in a safe interfaith environment. The house accomplishes all of this with the help of more than 70 volunteers and more than 550 donors, who helped the year-end campaign raise 30% more than last year. While the home has drawn national attention and served as a model for other communities, the Viatorians who run it count the number of young men they have welcomed over those years as their biggest success. “So much pain, confusion and suffering have filled our nation and world since last year,” Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, Executive Director, said to supporters, “but in the midst of it, because of you, we still offer peace and calm, hope and healing.” Fr. Brost works closely with Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, Director of Programs and Housing, whom he credits with having the original vision to begin this ministry of accompaniment. “We’re just grateful for the ability to provide hospitality to young people in such need,” Br. Gosch says simply. Viator House, located in the Chicagoland area, is an international, interfaith community that includes a dedicated staff. Take a deeper look into the numbers:

• 70 plus volunteers who tutor, drive, mentor, advise and staff the house.

• 20 faith communities and two civic organizations who formally partner with the organization. • 557 donors who show boundless generosity. In fact, those donors contributed $45,000 to the end-of-the year campaign last year. • 20 young men have moved from Viator House into transitional apartments since 2020 Since opening in 2017, all of these young men have attended school and/or worked, with many doing both. “We have helped five begin college careers, and have reunited more than 15 with family members in the U.S.,” Fr. Brost says. “And we have watched in admiration as they find jobs, work hard and send thousands of dollars to family members in Asia, Africa and Central America who need medical care, money for school or emergency assistance.” Find out more about Viator House of Hospitality, including its missions, ways to volunteer and opportunity to support it financially, by visiting: viatorhouseofhospitality.com.