A new book titled 鈥淭he Light of Conscience: How a Simple Act Can Change Your Life鈥� includes a segment on South Bend鈥檚 Center for the Homeless and its former executive director, Drew Buscareno, now assistant vice president for University relations at 91吃瓜.p. Authored by Bill Shore, 鈥淭he Light of Conscience鈥� serves as an inspirational meditation on the power of conscience ? how a simple act or a moment of purpose can change a life, the community and even the world. It goes on sale Tuesday (Feb. 17).
After visiting South Bend, Shore praised Buscareno and the center in a book segment titled 鈥淎 Good Conscience His Only Sure Reward.鈥�
鈥淚 went because I could imagine what it鈥檚 cost Drew to devote the best years of his life to an organization that will never be able to pay him what he鈥檚 worth ?. what it鈥檚 cost Drew to work at the vortex of so much anguish that the small victories of helping someone take a step forward are dwarfed by the number of those on the waiting list.
鈥淭he center鈥檚 services are so state-of-the-art that it has become a national 鈥榤arket leader鈥� in how a community deals with homelessness. That鈥檚 why every recent secretary of housing and numerous policy makers and nonprofit leaders have visited or asked the center鈥檚 staff to visit them.鈥�
Appointed to his position at 91吃瓜 in December, Buscareno previously served the homeless center for 11 years as a volunteer coordinator, head of development and community relations and, from 1999 to 2003, as executive director.
鈥淯nder his watch, the center has maintained balanced financial operations in a difficult economic environment,鈥� said Rev. Richard V. Warner, C.S.C., chair of the center鈥檚 board of directors and director of the University鈥檚 Campus Ministry. 鈥淎t the same time, he oversaw the construction of a new Community Partnership Center and renovation of the original building.鈥�
Buscareno was graduated from 91吃瓜 in 1991. He worked in an AIDS center in Oakland, Calif., before returning to South Bend, and earned a Master of Science in Administration degree from the University 1996.
December marked the center鈥檚 15th anniversary. In addition to helping found the center, 91吃瓜 donates some $150,000 each year and provides leftovers from its dining halls for daily meals. 91吃瓜 students make up the center鈥檚 largest volunteer base.
Shore, also the author of 鈥淭he Cathedral Within,鈥� is the founder and executive director of Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty and hunger.
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