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Spirit of Hope gives a small package of hope to those suffering in the cold

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Louis Spremulli and Paul Orlando stood at the large wooden table, the contents of their Spirt of Hope “rescue kits” carefully laid out on its surface.

The shades were drawn but the vintage windows looked out onto Cranston Avenue in Providence.

“Here’s the number one item,” Orlando said, leaning forward, grabbing a pair of new, fluffy white socks.

Orlando picked up the socks.

“This product is in high demand,” he said, dropping them back in place.

Spremulli and Orlando head the Johnston-based Spirit of Hope religious nonprofit group.

Last Tuesday they met with Sean Carew, a minister who serves as founder and CEO of the Providence Rescue Mission at 627 Cranston St. in Providence. The trio gathered around 4 p.m., shortly before the mission hosted its evening dinner for the region’s unsheltered.

“The need is year-round,” Carew said. He dismissed recent reports of rising rates of homeless men, women and children in Rhode Island. He said the need is ever-constant, but his mission always has space for more.

“On any given night we have 100 men and women seeking emergency shelter services,” Carew said. “We’re always open for the homeless of Rhode Island.”

The privately funded Providence Rescue Mission has been helping the Ocean State’s unsheltered for 24 years.

“What motivates reduction in shelter is money. When people have the ability to earn, they can deal with the issues of a homeless life … If you see somebody on the street with a can, rain snow or sleet, they’re there. Clearly they want to acquire resources to live. But there’s a disconnect.”

Spremulli placed a “Spirit of Hope” ball cap on Carew’s head.

“To me, they’re people who have so much potential,” Carew said.

Spirit of Hope raised more than $1,000 for personal toiletry items and winter gear for their rescue kits, which each include a hat, gloves, socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, mylar blanket and more.

They planned to hand out the survival kits on Christmas Day.

“These gifts could be a turning point,” Carew told the two Johnston men.  “What folks are looking for is a little bit of hope. The opening of that Christmas gift could be a spark of hope.”

“That’s where we get our name,” said Spremulli, Spirit of Hope’s president and founder.

“This is not a one-stop train today,” Orlando pledged to Carew. “We’ll be doing this again.”

Orlando serves as the organization’s fundraising and public relations manager. Both Johnston men are retired.

They stood and watched as the Rescue Mission packed with hungry souls.

“We just saw 40 guys go in,” Orlando said.

Each kit costs the group about $15 to assemble.

“Many of the organizations we help say the need has doubled since last year,” Orlando said.

Besides the Providence Rescue Mission, Spirit of Hope also works with the McAuley House, at 622 Elmwood Ave., and Mother of Life Pregnancy Center, 400 Atwells Ave., both in Providence.

“We just bought the center 800 diapers,” Spremulli said.

“The organization is finally coming together and making partnerships with other nonprofits, like the Providence Rescue Mission and McAuley House,” he wrote in a press release distributed by Spirit of Hope.

The group is struggling to keep up with increasing rescue kit demand. They thanked the sponsors who have funded Spirit of Hope so far: Atwood Pharmacy, Alert Security, Woodlawn Funeral Home, Orlando Contracting, Dr. David Coia, D’Andrea Pool Service, D’Ambra Construction, Mark Scetta Web, Enza’s Hair Studio, American Eyeglass, state Rep. Edward Cardillo, West Fountain Auto Body, Glocester Country Club, Lanzi Furs Inc., J&M Power Washing, Berarducci Funeral Services, Quality Properties, Johnston Town Councilwoman Lauren Garzone and RI Wholesale Jewelry.

“Lastly, this organization (asks) anyone who follows the word of God, to pitch in and give us a call for support,” Spirit of Hope said in their press release. “Please, one life lost to the cold weather means so much … what we could have done to prevent this.”

homeless, kits

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