2008 Woman & Girls Fund Award Winner
Sister Patricia Gamgort’s commitment to meeting the basic human needs of impoverished people in Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot Counties has earned her widespread respect and admiration. For twenty-five years she has worked tirelessly and effectively to both meet the immediate needs of the poor and to address the root causes that perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
Sister Patricia is a Benedictine sister of St. Gertrude Monastery in Ridgley, Maryland and the founder and executive director of St. Martin’s Ministries. The Ministries includes two programs, St. Martin’s House and St. Martin’s Barn. St. Martin’s House is a transitional residence for homeless women and their children. Women may live there for up to two years while finding employment, continuing their education, and receiving counseling in such areas as parenting skills, budget and household management, and self-esteem.
Since it was founded in 1993, St. Martin’s House has offered over 225 women and their 300 children an opportunity to make positive life changes and become self-sufficient. St. Martin’s Barn was founded by Sister Patricia 25 years ago to assist low income people with food, emergency financial assistance, and clothing. Since that time it has helped thousands of Eastern Shore residents navigate personal crisis situations.
Winifred Anderson of Chestertown said this when she nominated Sr. Patricia for the award: “Small in stature and large in heart, Sister Patricia is that rare focused female whose very life serves as an example to all who are fortunate to enter her circle of compassion, concern, care, and commitment.”
Sister Patricia Gamgort receives the 2008 Women & Girls Fund Award from Valerie Lamont, Fund president