'A house only becomes a home when there is love'

NORWALK — It's called Miriam House, but a more appropriate name could be Miriam Home. Those were the words Friday night of The Most Rev. Daniel E. Thomas, Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo, at an event honoring the 20th anniversary of the Miriam House. The fundraising event was held at the Norwalk Eagles Club, which donated the hall and the food for the event of about 100 people. Rev. Thomas talked about the time he got to visit the home for women and their children who are down on their luck and need a place to stay. "My father always said 'a house only becomes a home when there is love,'" the Bishop said. "It's clear to me, and even tonight from what we heard ... Miriam House is truly a home for the women and children who come there." Miriam House has helped out hundreds of women and children the last 20 years, thanks to the support of Catholic Charities and its donors. A couple of years ago HUD pulled back $80,000 in funding, but everyone stepped up to cover the expenses. It is that kind of support which keeps it going. Sarah Trapp is a former resident who talked about how the Miriam House helped her and her young autistic son Liam and, in the end, saved her life. "When I ran my life, I didn't get anywhere," said Trapp, who has since moved out of the house, got a job and is supporting her son. "Vickie (program coordinator Vickie Smith) told me how to get sober first. I went to AA meetings five days a week. I did chores. It was good to have structure to guide me. I needed someone to show me how to live." Smith has been there every step of Sarah's journey, along with Breanna Mantz, Smith's case worker and community health care worker. Soon, Trapp started supervised visits with her son. "Liam got all of the toys and clothes he wanted (for Christmas)," she said. "His favorite gift was a race track," Trapp received many essentials for the new home she hoped to create and realized many people had faith in her future. She regularly passed drug screenings along the way. While she was at Miriam House her boyfriend and Liam's father died of an overdose. "Vickie and the staff comforted me," Sarah said. "If I hadn't been at Miriam House, I would probably have been dead, too."