By Nicholas Gallo, Staff Writer
Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., was humbled to receive the 2018 Ecumen Award alongside the Warming House, for their combined service to the greater Olean community.
On Jan. 28, at the University Chapel in Doyle Hall, the Greater Olean Association of Churches (GOAC) honored Carney and the Warming House.
Carney, president emeritus, received the 2018 Ecumen Award for her 12 years as the university’s president, making the university a welcoming place. The Warming House received the Agency Recognition Award for serving nourishment, fellowship and dignity to the community.
Carney served as 20th President of St. Bonaventure from 2004 to 2016.
“I am very humbled by this award,” said Carney. “I feel that I was simply trying to be a good neighbor, which includes being a good neighbor to the different religious leaders to the community.”
Carney said she was touched that the GOAC would want to recognize her for her work at St. Bonaventure. She said she was happy the celebration took place somewhere so dear to her heart.
“It’s very nice to receive the award here,” said Carney. “I’d be happy to receive this award anywhere, but having the ceremony here, a place special to my heart, is great.”
The Warming House is one of the oldest student-run soup kitchens in the nation. Since the early 1980s, the Warming House team has offered one meal a day and served more than 12,000 meals annually.
Donald “DJ” Mitchell, a graduate assistant and programming manager at the Warming House, oversees the meal services and the team of meal coordinators.
Mitchell said the award means an enormous amount to him and the whole team at the Warming House.
“There is so much that goes on behind the scenes that often feels unnoticed,” said Mitchell. “Receiving this recognition on Sunday night has been a big boost to everyone.”
Mitchell was touched to have a guest from the Warming House hug him after receiving the award. He said it showed him just how much the award means to their entire Warming House community.
Jessica Cason, the development associate for the Franciscan Center for Social Concern, is another graduate student who helps behind the scenes with all the groups and organizations, including the Warming House.
Working at the FCSC has allowed her to see the amazing work of many groups on campus, especially the Warming House.
“A lot of people put time and effort into making sure the Warming House stays open and serves a meal six times a week,” said Cason. “This would not be possible without the grants we receive and through the generosity of the Warming House donors.”
She believes the Warming House volunteers do so much for the local community. Cason said the Warming House coordinators want to continue to raise the bar with its meal service, which has been thriving under student leadership.
“DJ Mitchell is doing a phenomenal job at making sure everything runs smoothly,” said Cason. “He has been encouraging and working hard to get more students engaged in helping.”
She added that the Warming House coordinators want to keep focusing on nutrition and hospitality.
According to Jeff Sved, director of the Franciscan Center for Social Concern, Alexa Zak, a senior biology major, is running the nutrition workshop at the Warming House this semester for her honors project.
The workshop is a continuation of the Food Bank of WNY’s Just Say Yes program that the Warming House hosted in the fall. Going along with the house’s core values, hospitality and nutrition are focal points this year.
“We are continuing to fill our Warming House calendar with various groups from the university and Olean community,” said Mitchell. “We have been blessed with a massive surplus of nonperishable items, which will be redistributed throughout all emergency food service providers in the area.”
Students interested in volunteering can visit The McGinley-Carney Center for Franciscan Ministry or email warminghouseschedule@bonaventure.edu for information about how to help at the Warming House.
