- December 4, 2025
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Financial challenges can overwhelm anyone, and when they do, one Sarasota-based day center is there to help people get back up on their feet.
Joe Reuth, who joined Resurrection House as the new executive director in June, spoke to members of Longboat Island Chapel for the latest Gather and Give charity drive on Sept. 16.
The multi-denominational group helps people, particularly those who are homeless, get the resources they need, be it a hot shower, fresh clothes, food or similar support.
"We are a community effort at Resurrection House, and we rely on all of you in order to take care of people in the margins," he said.
Reuth said residents may be surprised to learn that a quarter of the people Resurrection House helps are 60 years or older and homeless.
"We had a lady come in the other day who was 77 years old, and she's sleeping on the streets," he said.
He explained, "We have people who are 'working poor,' who don't make enough money to live on. A lot of people are living off of social security or disability, which is bringing in about $1,200 to $1,300 a month. That is not enough for them to survive in Sarasota or Longboat Key."
The faith-based organization has operated from its current location since 1993. The six founding churches were Church of the Redeemer, First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First Congregational UCC Church, Grace Fellowship and Vision Church of Sarasota.
He said they were motivated to form Resurrection House in 1989, not only to help those in need but also to improve the area for the community as a whole.
"We started with one room in The Salvation Army that they loaned to us," he said. "We had a washer and dryer outside, and we did laundry for them and had a shower for them. That's how we got started."
Now, the organization has expanded dramatically, serving more than 1,000 unique individuals last year.
"On a typical day, we'll have anywhere between 75 and 110 people come through our doors," he said. "The day after Labor Day, we had our busiest day in five years, with 119 people coming through the doors."
The house also has an in-house doctor to treat minor ailments, offers dental consultations, and provides legal and spiritual guidance.
Reuth noted operations are supported solely through the community, not from government funding.
It is truly a people-powered endeavor. He said only six staff positions, including his, are paid. Otherwise, the undertaking is made possible through the approximately 130 volunteers — many coming from the 30 churches involved in the area — who share their time.
It's only through their support that the day center can keep going, Reuth said. Even though expenses frequently outpace revenue, they manage to always close the gap.
That line continues to get harder to walk though, as Reuth noted the need for services recently increased by 20%.
Community members give their support in numerous ways, including the stylists who donate haircuts for those who need them.
Resurrection House welcomes volunteers and donations of food and hygienic items, particularly shampoo. But financial support is especially valuable, especially considering the property has some of the highest water and electricity bills in the city to power its near continuously running washing machines and showers.
He said their services are especially needed because Manatee County residents can seek emergency overnight shelter from the local arm of The Salvation Army. However, he said Sarasota County residents don't have an equivalent service.
"A lot of the people we help are scared and don't know where their next meal is coming from," he said. "They don't know how they're going to get clean or where they're going to go to the bathroom. They don't know how they're going to replace the clothing that they have on. They don't know where they're going to get medical care. We offer all those services at no charge."
Though he is relatively new to the role, Reuth said he has already been blown away by the displays of kindness he's seen at Resurrection House.
"It's a lot of effort, but it's so rewarding," he said. "One of the things I do every day is serve the meal, and I can't tell you how many people say 'God bless you' and 'thank you,' genuinely, as you hand them the food."
Above all else, the group follows the mission of treating everyone with "dignity, compassion, caring and love."
Looking to the future, Reuth said the organization hopes to make a difference helping people who have been homeless for more than a year.
In addition to the men's clothes and tennis shoes Longboat Island Chapel congregation members donated on Sept. 16, they also made a $3,000 monetary donation.
The drive continues throughout the end of September. Community members can drop off donations at the chapel from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays or after the 10 a.m. service on Sundays.
