Calvert House Inn Helps the Homeless

When you eat lunch at the Calvert House Inn in Riverdale Park next week, you will be helping someone else in need.

The week of November 13 - 20, the Calvert House Inn will donate a portion of the lunch proceeds each day from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to Help by Phone Limited, a charity that helps the homeless in Prince George's County.

Help by Phone Limited is a non-profit organization that has been helping those in need in Prince George's county since 1968, giving assistance to about 55,000 county residents by the end of this calendar year.

The organization has one staff member and over 200 volunteers.

"The organization started and continues to function as a source of short-term help between the time of crisis and the time people can receive public assistance," said the organization’s director, Lois Jones.

As the weather turns cold and the holidays approach, the homeless need even more assistance in the months of November and December.

Help by Phone Limited operates eight food pantries; a clothing center; works with seven Title 1 elementary schools; operates a men's homeless shelter for 16 weeks in the winter; offers monetary help for prescriptions; offers the assistance of a financial counselor; and offers transportation to medical appointments.

Jones is a long-time customer of the Calvert House. One day, the restaurant’s co-owner Susan Salimi asked Jones what she did. After Jones told Salimi about her organization, Salimi was quick to offer support.

"[Salimi]  said we could do something together. She's just a really, really, really kind person," said Jones.

"We've been here for over 30 years, and we do a lot of things like this for the firefighters and organizations in Riverdale and Hyattsville," said Salimi. The local business is always happy to help those in need.

Although the Calvert House is usually only open for dinner on Saturdays and Sundays, they will be open for lunch on weekends just for this occasion to help raise additional funds.

The Calvert House Inn is located on the northbound side of Route 1 in Riverdale Park, between Queensbury Road and MD 410. Their hours of operation are  Monday - Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.; and Sunday, from 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Call 301-864-5220 for reservations or more details.

For more information on Help by Phone Limited, call Lois Jones at 301-699-9009.