Current Life

"The Gospel takes away our right forever, to discriminate between the deserving and the undeserving poor."

- Dorothy Day

Introduction to the Mission

The Mustard Seed is focused on making sure our environment is a safe, respectful, and restful place for guests to enjoy a meal and share the company of others.

The Mustard Seed is a place where all are welcome regardless of their situation or past. It is currently run by a designated supervisor each night of the week. In addition to the supervisor there are about eight regular volunteers and anywhere from two to twenty non-regular volunteers nightly. Local high schools, colleges, and church groups tend to volunteer. Dinners are donated and prepared by various organizations, religious groups, or families within the local community. Many of these groups sign up for one night a month. The Seed never has trouble finding food donations because of the generous community that surrounds it. Beyond nightly dinners, the Mustard Seed also offers our guests take-out meals, spare groceries, clothing donations, a family health center with a doctor that comes weekly, and a chapel space upstairs for prayer and reflection. Its Catholic Worker background informs our mission and encourages the organization to be rooted in faith and unconditional love.

Martin, James."Dorthay Day: Future Saint, Imperfect Parent." America, 2017.

Volunteers!

Volunteers are an integral part of any community, and their impact on the community at the Mustard Seed is no exception. Whether it be service, food, or conversation, their efforts assist the Mustard Seed in its mission of showcasing solidarity to those in need. The Mustard Seed takes great pride in their volunteers, a few are mentioned below.

Baliji Dourishetti

Baliji Dourishetti is a part of an Indian service organization that has been assisting the Mustard Seed in our mission for around five years. According to Baliji, every other week, a member of the service group travels approximately 45 miles to deliver handmade meals to the Mustard Seed. Baliji says that giving meals to folks at the Mustard Seed is similar to serving God, in that by providing sustenance, he and his fellow volunteers are acting in the same manner that God acts with us.

Mike Benedetti

Mike Benedetti, the supervisor of the Mustard Seed on Mondays and Fridays, has a personal connection to the Seed. After selling software in New York and occasionally volunteering at a Catholic Worker site near his job, he decided to commit more of his life to the Catholic Worker Movement. Mike made the decision to move to Worcester and become a dedicated member of the Mustard Seed. He is a passionate volunteer who has long benefited the community of Worcester. When asked what the ultimate goal of the Mustard Seed is, Mike put it simply, “the goal is to give people a safe place to eat where they can relax and be treated with respect.”

Birgit Straehle

Birgit is a relatively recent member of the Mustard Seed as she joined during the pandemic, but her efforts have allowed the Seed to grow and stay stable during these rough times. She enjoys baking loaves of bread for the guests and as she puts it, “serving those who are less fortunate brings me both joy and sorrow. Baking allows me to at least ease their qualms and seeing them smile because of something I made is invigorating”. Regarding the current life of the seed, Birgit says that facilities have been vastly improved since she began volunteering and said facilities have made it easier to hand out resources and bread to those in need. She plans to continue working with the Mustard Seed to ensure its growth and that it remains a place of hospitality and service for years to come.