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Mary Jo Copeland

Mary Jo Copeland
Copeland in 2013
Born
Mary Jo Holtby

(1942-10-23) October 23, 1942 (age 82)
Other names
  • America's Mother Teresa
  • Minnesota's Mother Teresa
EducationAcademy of Holy Angels
Known forFounding Sharing and Caring Hands
SpouseDick Copeland
Children12
AwardsPresidential Citizens Medal

Mary Jo Copeland (née Holtby; born October 23, 1942) is an American mother and founder of Sharing and Caring Hands, a center for those struggling with poverty and homelessness. Sometimes called "America's Mother Teresa", she received the Presidential Citizens Medal from Barack Obama in 2013 for her work with the poor at Sharing and Caring Hands.

Early life

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Born as Mary Jo Holtby in Rochester, Minnesota, on October 23, 1942, Copeland lived for the first six years of her life with her well-to-do grandparents.[1][2][3] Her mother, a hairdresser, and her father, a Korean War veteran, took her back in when her brother John was born. Living with her parents, Mary Jo was beaten by her father, who also abused Mary Jo's mother. She occasionally slept in her own urine. From a young age, she found comfort in religion, stating that reading the Baltimore Catechism was like "breathing oxygen".[4] Her experiences led her to vow to make the world a better place.[2] She attended Annunciation parochial grade school in Minneapolis, where she received mean treatment from her classmates,[5] and graduated from the Academy of Holy Angels in 1960.[6]

As a sophomore in high school she met her future husband, Dick, at a sock hop after a basketball game at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis.[1][4][7] They married in 1961.[8]

While expecting her seventh child, Copeland endured a severe bout of depression.[1] After the birth of her last child in 1977, her isolated lifestyle led her to use tranquilizer drugs and alcohol. In 1982, she overcame her addiction during an "painful" three-month period, with support from her husband and prayer.[8]

Sharing and Caring Hands

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After overcoming her addiction, Copeland began to volunteer at Catholic Charities.[7][9] However, feeling overwhelmed by paperwork and bureaucracy, she took matters into her own hands and brought food and clothing to those in need from the trunk of her car.[4][8] In 1985, she received a $2500 ($7,309 in 2024) grant from a local TV station.[4] Operations eventually began at 16 Glenwood Ave in Minneapolis.[10]

By 1987, some 500 people were fed daily, with 600 and 700 on the weekends, totaling more than 10,000 lunches each month.[10] Some 300 volunteers helped run the organization[11] However, the city of Minneapolis sought to raze the building to make room for the Target Center;[2][10] Copeland needed to raise $240,000 ($638,087 in 2024) by February 1988 to move to a new building two blocks away.[11] The press coverage from the incident would allow her to fundraise to fund the new location at 425 N. 7th St.[1][2][12]

Sharing and Caring Hands again was embroiled in controversy surrounding a sports stadium in 2008, when the newly built Target Field's proximity to the center raised concern's about the site's security and drug offenses happening on the site. The City of Minneapolis considered not renewing the license of Sharing and Caring Hands; seventeen arrests had been made at Sharing and Caring Hands in 2006 for drug offenses.[13]

By 2020, 700 to 800 people per day were being fed at Sharing and Caring Hands.[7]

Copeland takes no salary.[4] Copeland regularly washed the feet of the homeless twice daily, which was called her "trademark". Copeland clipped nails, applied ointment, and provided people with fresh sneakers;[4][14] however, by 2022 her joints prevented her from continuing this ritual.[15]

Mary's Place

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In 1995, Copeland opened Mary's Place, a transitional housing complex.[16] In 2016, a $5 million ($6.63 million in 2024), 10,000 square-foot expansion project added space for a youth center and more temporary housing. Eight apartments were added to the 92 already-present residential units.[17] By 2020, its 100 units could house 600 to 700 parents and children.[7]

Awards and honors

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Copeland being awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal

She received the David W. Preus Leadership Award on October 7, 1991.[1] Her high school alma mater, the Academy of Holy Angels, awarded her their Angelus Award for outstanding alumni in 1994.[6] St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota awarded her their Pax Christi Award in on May 28, 1995.[18] George W. Bush mentioned Copeland in his acceptance speech at the 2000 Republican National Convention,[19] and brought her to his first National Prayer Breakfast in 2001.[4][20] In 2024, Copeland was awarded the Hendickson Medal for Ethical Leadership by St. Mary's University of Minnesota.[21]

Copeland has been called "America's Mother Teresa"[4][21] and "Minnesota's Mother Teresa".[15]

Presidential Citizens Medal

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In 2013, Copeland was selected as one of 18 people from 6,000 nominations for the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor in the United States. When she first heard of her nomination in a call from the White House, she didn't believe it was true.[22] She received the award from Barack Obama on February 15, 2013.[9]

Personal life

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Copeland, together with her husband Dick, raised six daughters and six sons: Therese, Mary, Cathy, Jennifer, Barbara, Molly, Michael, Mark, Stephen, James, Jeff, and Matthew. As of 2022, she had fifteen grandchildren.[7]

In 1991, it was reported that she would spend around two hours in prayer each morning at her parish of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Thorkelson, Willmar (October 12, 1991). "Woman shared life at homeless shelter". Rochester Post-Bulletin. p. 7D. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d Grow, Doug (May 7, 1993). "Sharing and caring woman folds her hands in prayer". Star Tribune. p. 3B. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "The Life Story of Mary Jo". Sharing & Caring Hands. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Cass, Dennis (July 21, 2002). "She Walks Through Walls". The New York Times Magazine. p. 36. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  5. ^ Capecchi, Christina (October 28, 2004). "Parish and school alumni group offers award and apology to Mary Jo Copeland". The Catholic Spirit. Vol. 9, no. 37.
  6. ^ a b "Names in the news". The Catholic Bulletin. Vol. 84, no. 41. October 13, 1994.
  7. ^ a b c d e Furst, Randy (April 5, 2020). "Dick Copeland, who helped his wife, Mary Jo, in her programs for the poor, dies". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Callahan, Tom. "'When I See People In Need, I See A Mirror Of Myself'". Parade Magazine. Pioneer Press. pp. 20–22.
  9. ^ a b Diaz, Kevin; French, Rose (February 15, 2013). "Mary Jo Copeland receives presidential medal". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on October 10, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Smith, Robert T. (July 26, 1987). "A caring ministry must move because of NBA stadium". Star Tribune. p. 10B. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b Kaszuba, Mike (November 26, 1987). "Center that feeds homeless faces a tenuous future". Star Tribune. p. 13B – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Zyskowski, Bob (November 10, 1994). "Come take cook's tour of Sharing and Caring Hands". The Catholic Bulletin. Vol. 84, no. 45. pp. 1, 3.
  13. ^ Brandt, Steve (April 11, 2008). "Homers vs. Homeless?". Star Tribune. pp. B1, B7. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Sullivan, Caryn (September 4, 2013). "From Mary Jo Copeland's great difficulties, great love". Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Capecchi, Christina (September 9, 2022). "On the cusp of 80, Mary Jo Copeland is unwavering - TheCatholicSpirit.com". The Catholic Spirit. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  16. ^ "At 81, there's no slowing down for Sharing and Caring Hands' Mary Jo Copeland - CBS Minnesota". CBS News. March 4, 2024. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  17. ^ Lee, Jessica (April 24, 2015). "Sharing and Caring Hands shelter razed for new facility". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  18. ^ "St. John's honors Copeland". The Catholic Bulletin. Vol. 85, no. 20. May 18, 1995.
  19. ^ Bush, George W. "Address Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia". The American Presidency Project. University of Santa Barbara. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  20. ^ Diaz, Kevin (February 2, 2001). "Copeland's story strikes chord in D.C." Star Tribune. pp. A1, A18. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Nahrgang, Deborah (August 13, 2025). "Mary Jo Copeland to receive Hendrickson Medal – Saint Mary's Today". St. Mary's University of Minnesota. Archived from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  22. ^ "Mary Jo Copeland In Washington D.C. For National Honor". CBS News. WCCO. February 15, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2025.