Laura and Steve Brown founded Casa Alma in 2009 a
nd have served as resident volunteers since that time. They are former Maryknoll Lay Missioners (Chile, ’05); Steve is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (’95) and Laura is a graduate of Swarthmore College (’95) and the University of Connecticut School of Social Work (’97). Both are life-long Catholics who seek to live in right relationship with God, with others, and with the natural world.
Craig Green and Cleo Keller joined Casa Alma as resident volunteers in July, 2019. They hail from the intentional communities movement and have been embracing simple living in harmony and connection with others for most of their adult lives. For many years, they have been practicing their ministry of community song sharing, seeing music as medicine, as a path to the divine.
Previous resident volunteers include: Hunter Link, Claire and Christine Hitchins, and Sarah Frazer. We are grateful for their contributions to the Casa Alma community!
Non-resident volunteers are essential to Casa Alma! They cultivate gardens, support our hospitality efforts, help with administrative tasks and take action in the community. Please contact us for more information.
Homeless and low-income families live at Casa Alma as guests. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to know, accompany, and learn from: Josefina, Yeimi, Moises, Carlos, Eliseo, Josue, Larry, Patricia, Kayla, Evan, Sara, Elijah, Maya, Sheron, Shirley, Desi, Lina, Gregory, Mutusim, Heidy, Linda, Sade, Sadeja, Sky, Winter, Tatyana, Reuben, Delicia, Damari, Cynthia, Alex, Isaias and Naomi.
Please remember these guests and all who experience housing instability in your thoughts and prayers, and, support structural change and justice efforts. Connect to the Charlottesville Low-Income Housing Coalition, the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center, Showing Up for Racial Justice and the Charlottesville-area Immigrant Resource and Advocacy Coalition.
The Christ of the Breadlines, by Fritz Eichenberg