Interview with Mary Marra, June 25, 1986

Partial Transcript: Before we start out talking about your time with CAP you might tell me a little about yourself and your background.

Segment Synopsis: Mary Marra is introduced. She talks about her current work with Bread and Roses, which provides food, health clinics, clothing, and other resources for the people of Lawrence, Massachusetts. She talks about the economic situation in Lawrence and why it has gotten worse over time.

Keywords: Boston (Mass.); Bread & Roses; Bread and Roses; Clothing; Co-ops; Community service; Cooperatives; Costs; Crisis; Economy; Emergency food; Family; Food distribution centers; Funding; Fundraising; Health clinics; Homelessness; Hospitality; Housing; Housing markets; Jobs; Landlords; Low income; Lowell (Mass.); Meals; Money; Needs; Neighborhoods; Outreach programs; Ownership; Property; Rent; Resources; Social services organizations; Soup kitchens; Tax shelters; Volunteer nurses; Volunteerism

Subjects: Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Families.; Lawrence (Mass.); Missions.; Nonprofit organizations.; Poverty.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: What did you do before you were involved here?

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about her career as a math teacher prior to her work with Bread and Roses. She talks about the makeup of her neighborhood in Lawrence, Massachusetts and how it has changed over time.

Keywords: Community colleges; Demographics; High schools; Hispanic; Italian; Latinx; Low income housing projects; Mathematics; Neighborhoods; Nuns; Tutoring; Volunteerism

Subjects: Communities.; Community; Education.; Families.; Lawrence (Mass.); Poverty.; Teachers.; Teaching.

Partial Transcript: Well, tell me how you heard about the Christian Appalachian Project back in the seventies.

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about how she became aware of Christian Appalachian Project and why she decided to volunteer there.

Keywords: Advertisements; Alternative experiences; Applications; Awareness; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Magazines; Religious-oriented; Teaching; Volunteerism

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Nonprofit organizations.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: What--can you remember what your ideas were of Appalachia or the South or the mountains before you went?

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about her perceptions of Appalachia prior to arriving there and how the reality differed from her expectations.

Keywords: Assumptions; Cities; Coal mining; Driving; Media; Photographers; Photographs; Pictures; Poor; Population; Preconceived ideas; Preconceptions; Prejudices; Publicity; Rich; Separation; Similarities; Surprised; War on Poverty; Wealth disparity

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Economic conditions.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Communities.; Community; Culture shock.; Culture.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Poverty.; Rural conditions.

Partial Transcript: And where, where did you work when you were with CAP?

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about visiting local families' homes as part of her role as a volunteer at Christian Appalachian Project.

Keywords: Bible schools; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Duties; Home visits; Houses; Odd jobs; Permanent volunteers; Responsibilities; Visiting; Volunteerism

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Families.; Lancaster (Ky.); Missions.; Nonprofit organizations.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: Um, do you remember any of the children that came to the bible school?

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about the children she recalls from her time with the bible camp run by Christian Appalachian Project. She talks about the activities they did with the children and whether the camp was Catholic-oriented.

Keywords: Activities; African Americans; Ages; Arts and crafts; Bible schools; Black people; Catholic; Children; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Christianity; Games; Hugging; Hugs; Integrated; Integration; Lessons; Non-denominational; Sessions; Singing; Summer camps; Transportation; Trucks; Volunteerism

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Lancaster (Ky.); Missions.; Nonprofit organizations.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: Well, what else did you do while you were there?

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about her other duties and activities as a volunteer at Christian Appalachian Project, including visiting other camps and working at the thrift store. She and the interviewer briefly discuss the permanent volunteers at CAP.

Keywords: Burnt out; Camp Andrew Jackson; Camp Nelson; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Day care centers; Fixing; Floyd County (Ky.); Health clinics; Permanent volunteers; Programs; Projects; Repairs; Schools; Summer camps; Thrift stores; Visiting; Visits; Volunteerism

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Families.; Lancaster (Ky.); Missions.; Nonprofit organizations.; Poverty.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: Well, when you left CAP, did--how did your--had--how had your ideas changed about Appalachia?

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about how her perceptions of Appalachia changed during her time at Christian Appalachian Project. She talks about how the lessons she learned at CAP influence her current work with Bread and Roses.

Keywords: Assumptions; Awareness; Changes; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Crowded; Impact; Land; Learning; Misconceptions; Needs; Ownership; Perceptions; Preconceived ideas; Preconceptions; Prejudices; Resources; Rich; Rural poverty; Space; Time; Urban poverty; Volunteerism

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Families.; Lancaster (Ky.); Missions.; Nonprofit organizations.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Poverty.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: What about Father Beiting? Did you know him?

Segment Synopsis: Marra says that Father Beiting was absent for most of her duration with Christian Appalachian Project. She talks about the volunteer coordinator, Kathy O'Donnell. She talks about whether she would return to volunteer at CAP.

Keywords: Away; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Contact; Escape; Father Beiting; Father Ralph W. Beiting; Kathy Kluesener; Kathy O'Donnell Kluesener; Lexington (Ky.); Orientations; Recruiting; Recruitment; Returning; Summer programs; Vacations; Volunteer coordinators; Volunteerism; West Virginia

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Clergy--Kentucky; Lancaster (Ky.); Nonprofit organizations.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: Um, in thinking of your experience here and relating it to that in terms of fundraising, CAP is occasionally criticized for their public relations efforts...

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks about the difficulty of maintaining the dignity of the people using social services while also conveying the need for donations in newspapers and other media outlets. She talks about Bread and Roses' philosophy regarding public relations and publicity.

Keywords: Approaches; Articles; Assumptions; Attitudes; Bread & Roses; Bread and Roses; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Crisis; Criticisms; Decisions; Dignity; Education; Embarrassed; Fundraising; Help; Hospitality; Information; Mailing lists; Money; Names; Needs; Newsletters; Newspapers; Outreach; Perceptions; Philosophies; Portrayals; Preconceived ideas; Preconceptions; Prejudices; Privacy; Public relations (PR); Publicity; Reporters; Slide shows; Speaking engagements; Support; Trouble; Volunteerism

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Families.; Fund raising.; Lawrence (Mass.); Missions.; Nonprofit organizations.; Poverty.; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.

Partial Transcript: Can you think of anything else about Kentucky that has popped into your memory?

Segment Synopsis: Marra talks briefly about the communal lifestyle at Christian Appalachian Project. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Arizona; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Communal lifestyle; Community spirit; Simple; Simplicity; Style of living; Volunteerism

Subjects: Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Lancaster (Ky.); Lifestyles.; Nonprofit organizations.; Religious communities; Voluntarism.; Volunteering; Volunteers.