NILES — Ferry Street Resource Center Executive Director Ric Pawloski said his nonprofit relies entirely on donations and grants. He usually fundraises for the center while meeting with people to provide them the short-term and long-term resources they need to find success.

That was why a surprise $440 donation from St. John’s United Church of Christ was all the more meaningful, he said.

“We exist 100 percent on the generosity of others, foundational as well as individual givers and partners in the neighborhoods,” Pawloski said. “This was unexpected, but very, very much appreciated. I pray a lot for our people and for what goes on here, so this is an answer to prayer for us.”

St. John’s member Sandi Fulbright, who gave the check to Pawloski, said the reason why her church gave the check to Ferry Street was simple.

“We wanted to keep it within Niles and then within the neighborhood if we could,” she said.

St. John’s and Ferry Street are about as close as can be in a residential neighborhood. Their properties are next to one another.

Fulbright’s church has donated to other neighborhood organizations, too. It sends food donations to a pantry at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, across the street from the resource center.

This is the first time St. John’s has donated to Ferry Street, though. Fulbright appreciated Ferry Street’s work because it reminded her of another nonprofit she worked with as a secretary for a Mishawaka church.

“We’re bringing resources here, so that people have meaningful access to help get them on their feet,” Pawloski said.

Pawloski holds two part-time positions, one at Ferry Street and the other at Gateway Services, where he runs its Jobs for Life program. The two positions have allowed him to “marry” the organizations’ programs together, he said.

“[People] can come for emergency support, but then we get them working so they don’t need constant support,” Pawloski said. “They can support themselves through the two programs together.”

The donation comes as Pawloski and Services Coordinator Arquilla Lewis begin to bring in other organizations that help those in need to its campus. Representatives of groups like Friend of the Berrien County Court and Emergency Shelter Services, both of which are based in the northern part of the county, make weekly appearances at the center.

St. John’s raised its money for Ferry Street’s programming through its third annual silent auction and tea event, attended by dozens of women both inside and outside the congregation.

This year’s theme was “Sugar and Spice,” Fulbright said. Along with a variety of teas and accompanying finger foods, attendees could choose from varieties of candy at a large centerpiece table.

Members of St. John’s also made fascinators for the attendees, tea-drinking hats known by some Americans as the headwear worn for horse races.

Nearly $900 was given, half of which went to Ferry Street. The other half went toward an inaugural Vacation Bible Study hosted at St. John’s last week.

It was the most money raised at the event, Fulbright said, and she was happy to see it given to two programs right on the church’s block.

“We are a neighborhood church,” she said. “So, if we’re a neighborhood church, of course we want to support our neighborhood.”