Mary Jo Copeland

Mary Jo Copeland
Heroine: a woman having the qualities of a hero; a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities; the central female figure in an event or period.
The people on the streets of Minneapolis call her their ‘street mother.’ City officials call her ‘an extraordinary leader’ and an ‘urban saint.’ “Married with 12 children of her own, Mary Jo Copeland is also the founder of a charity that each month serves over 10,000 people. But the thing that bothers some people about Mary Jo Copeland is that she washes the blistered, bleeding, stinking feet of the poor.” –Kim Ode, Good Housekeeping magazineBut Mary Jo Copeland, the founder and director of Sharing and Caring Hands, is not looking for praise. She knows from personal experience what it is to live in poverty and brokenness, and is striving to make the world a better place for the poor today. Married to Dick Copeland, they have 12 children (6 boys and 6 girls), Mary Jo was a full time mother until her youngest child began school, at which time she began volunteering at Catholic Charities working with the poor and hurting of Minneapolis.
She soon started a 28 church Branch Lunch Line, and then in 1985 she started Sharing and Caring Hands, a volunteer organization for concerned people to get directly involved in helping meet the needs for the less fortunate of our society, with few salaries and no bureaucracy, donations go directly to the needs of the poor. Sharing and Caring Hands has grown from a small volunteer organization with a $5,000 a month budget working out of a 2,000 square-foot storefront, to a large volunteer organization that spends over $300,000 a month on the needs of over 20,000 people who come through their doors monthly.
Mary Jo’s work has been recognized in three books, many television stories and newspaper and magazine articles, including in Readers Digest, Good Housekeeping, People, and New York Times magazine. She has received many awards and commendations, including being named One of the most Caring People in America by the Caring Institute in Washington, D.C., the Norman Vincent Peale Unsung Hero Award, the Pax Christi Award for living the life that Jesus taught, Person of the Week on NBC's nightly news with Peter Jennings, and was a featured speaker at the 2001 Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C.Without taking a salary, Mary Jo continues to work daily caring for the needs of the poor.
Quotes by Mary Jo Copeland
“A Smile and an Outstretched Hand is the beginning of a Miracle in the Unspoken Need of Another Heart.”
“When someone is drowning, you do more than throw a life preserver. You get into the water.”
“Treat people as if they were Jesus and as Jesus would treat them. That’s what we’re called to do.”
“God doesn’t make riff-raff.”
More about Mary Jo Copeland:
Hear Mary Jo tell some of the stories of the poor (11 minutes)
See Video “It’s hard to be Poor” (25 minutes)
People Magazine - Mother of Mercy
Star Tribune - Faith, talent for persuasion help her help the homeless
Back to E-zine Home
TEAM OF WRITERS- KDIA
1640 AM - San Francisco
Mon-Sat. 4:30 PM PST - NPLR - National Pro-Life Radio
Mon-Sat 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM PST
Mon-Fri 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM PST - Listen Online
Listen Anytime - Show Archives

Coming soon
Become a WOMANTalk Member
Receive our WOMANTalk Pin, Newsletter, members-only Podcasts, Discounts & more.
JANUARY-MARCH 2010
See details on our Winter Selection - Michelle Malkin's "Culture of Corruption" - this page.
Click here for more information on our Book Club & How to Join

Thank you to everyone who donated to Mission: Christmas Jerky and for making Christmas a little brighter for our soldiers!
Stay tuned for more opportunities.

Watch for details:
California Governor Candidate Forum
Sharon will be Moderating
February 15, 2010
7 pm
Sheraton Hotel, Petaluma, CA
WOMANTalk Spring Luncheon
With Caryl Matrisciana
April 24th, 2010
Operation Heartlift
Welcome Home our Troops
See Calendar Page Get information of where Sharon, Debra and Audrey will be speaking next by signing up for our free email updates at the top of the page.
"Just a note to thank you SOOO much for your excellent leadership at the Rally yesterday. It was undoubtedly one of our best. Thank you for so clearly doing your homework, informing us with interesting facts and quotes, and so enthusiastically leading us on." -Dean Davis, SCPL
"I learn so much from reading your website and your radio shows. Keep up your good work!." -Orlean Koehle, Pres. California Eagle Forum
![]()
Gives Sharon 100% Credibility
Rank in Journalism
Read Sharon Also At:




