- HISTORY & FUTURE
In 1966 several ladies of Sacred Heart Parish in Gladwin wanted to do some Mission work. They reached out to other church mission circles in Gladwin, Coleman and Edenville to form a mission group that rolled bandages for the war effort. After they had the bandages ready, the ladies held rummage sales and raffles to raise the funds to ship bandages to hospitals overseas for the war. This was the humble beginning of what is now the Sacred Heart Mission for Gladwin County MI.
The present Mission grew out of that early mission work and grew from the basement of the church to the small space attached to the Sacred Heart Activity Center. The Mission developed into a high demand thrift store with affordable clothing and items for people in need. The money raised shifted to assist with food, electric and heating assistance for Gladwin County residents.
In 2010 the need for space opened up the opportunity to move to its current location at 220 S. James Robinson Drive, Gladwin, MI. This move dramatically increased the visibility and outreach to our communities allowing the Mission to provide heating , electric shut off assistance, food, affordable clothing and items for families through the Thrift Store. In 2011 Sacred Heart Mission became a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The Sacred Heart Mission is a religion established non-profit organization that gives back to those in our community members who are in need.
The need in Gladwin County has grown exponentially over the past years and with that growth an expansion to the Mission was researched. Through the guidance of the Sacred Heart Mission board members in collaboration with the Mission staff, the expansion has become a reality. It was with the generous donation from the DeShano Family Foundation in memory of their founding patriarch Gary DeShano, that the reality has come to fruition and our 60 x 80 expansion opened April 2025!
We are truly thankful to all of the donors and the awarded grants that are helping the Mission continue to tend to those in need in Gladwin County.- DeShano Community Foundation our beautiful new building and choosing the Sacred Heart Mission to honor their family patriarch Gary L. DeShano
- Consumers Energy Refrigeration/Shelving grant for the expanded Food Pantry
- Gladwin County Community Foundation grant to assist with the development of the Mission Resource Connection Center
What Does Scripture Say About Serving God?
Scripture has much to teach us about the different ways we may serve others and serve God. To get to the heart of service we can look at the examples set forth by St. Francis for a better understanding of how we may realize Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 25:35–40.
When we consider the story of St. Francis and the Leper, we can see how living the Works of Mercy creates a transformative experience for all. As the son of a merchant, Francis grew up surrounded by wealth and privilege, and though he had often given alms to lepers, he admitted that seeing them was a “bitter thing” and he viewed them with revulsion.
One day, before his conversion, Francis was riding his horse in the countryside and saw a leper walking toward him. Normally, Francis’ first instinct would be to avoid contact with this person, but this time he felt something stir within him. Francis instead rode toward this man and not only gave him alms, he also embraced him and kissed his hand.
In his Testament, St. Francis wrote that in the moment he showed mercy, what had once seemed a “bitter thing” was turned into a “sweetness of soul and body.” When we offer comfort or compassion to those whom society rejects, then we can see the humanity in others. In that way we can come to the understanding that all people are made in the image and likeness of God, and to serve them is to serve Him.
When we consider the story of St. Francis and the Leper, we can see how living the Works of Mercy creates a transformative experience for all. As the son of a merchant, Francis grew up surrounded by wealth and privilege, and though he had often given alms to lepers, he admitted that seeing them was a “bitter thing” and he viewed them with revulsion.
One day, before his conversion, Francis was riding his horse in the countryside and saw a leper walking toward him. Normally, Francis’ first instinct would be to avoid contact with this person, but this time he felt something stir within him. Francis instead rode toward this man and not only gave him alms, he also embraced him and kissed his hand.
In his Testament, St. Francis wrote that in the moment he showed mercy, what had once seemed a “bitter thing” was turned into a “sweetness of soul and body.” When we offer comfort or compassion to those whom society rejects, then we can see the humanity in others. In that way we can come to the understanding that all people are made in the image and likeness of God, and to serve them is to serve Him.
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