New Book Saving Body & Soul Captures Benevolent Spirit and Compassion of Mary Jo Copeland -- "America's Mother Teresa" -- and Motivates Others to Action

As traditional government support for the poor declines, Copeland's story shows how one person's faith and action can affect thousands.

At a time when resources for the poor are decreasing and government is calling on the private sector to take a larger role, Saving Body and Soul: The Mission of Mary Jo Copeland highlights Mary Jo Copeland's remarkable story of giving, as well as a variety of first-person stories of the poor families, children and homeless she has helped. Often called "America's Mother Teresa," Copeland touches the lives of more than 1,600 poor people daily in the Minneapolis area, showcasing what can be accomplished when an ordinary person combines strong faith with loving actions. Saving Body & Soul not only documents the enormous impact Copeland has on many -- it motivates readers to be of greater service to the less fortunate.

In Saving Body & Soul, which hits bookstores on September 21, 2004, author Margaret Nelson and photographer Keri Pickett -- both professional journalists published in People, Time, Newsweek, USA Today and more -- use compelling words and memorable photos to illustrate how Copeland touches people in a way that few others do. Nelson and Pickett provide an inside look at Sharing & Caring Hands, Copeland's comprehensive service network that includes a drop-in shelter (providing meals, clothing, medical and dental care, as well as everything from bus tokens to housing deposits); transitional apartments for homeless families; and a children's and teen center that provides supervised recreation for the apartment residents. All are located on the edge of downtown Minneapolis. The book also looks at Copeland's efforts to build a suburban children's home that will serve orphaned and at-risk youth.

"After meeting Mary Jo Copeland, I knew immediately that I had to tell her story," said author Margaret Nelson. "The last four years working on Saving Body & Soul have taught me a lot about faith and compassion. I've found myself applying Copeland's words to my own life, and her trademark phrases giving voice to my own deepest yearnings."

Each day, Copeland helps hundreds of people who have fallen through society's cracks, and many are featured in the book with photos and interviews. The profiles include a family with six children who lost their home after the father became disabled; a mentally-ill young woman who needed help after her mother died; a man struggling with alcoholism; a single mother who needed a safe haven for her children; and dozens of others who mirror the problems of the broader society.

In helping her visitors, Copeland speaks with about 500 people daily about their troubles, lending a shoulder to cry on, and a hug and prayer to give them hope that their situation will improve. Her volunteers provide 20,000 meals, 200 pairs of shoes and over 2,000 special requests each month ranging from bus tokens and rent vouchers to advice on dealing with domestic violence and career counseling. Copeland also soothes the pain of 15-20 people daily by washing their feet, a reminder to herself that she's trying to emulate Jesus in her life.

"Her goal is to be a last-chance resource for the poor and homeless, and to give people the confidence and tools to get back on their feet," says photographer Keri Pickett. "Through altruistic optimism, hard work and prayer, Copeland shows us all that it is possible to make a difference in the world -- one person at a time."

Copeland's mission to help others stems from her own dark past. She was raised in an abusive family and was treated like an outcast by her peers, but her strong Catholic faith carried her through and spurred her personal growth. As a teen, she met Dick Copeland; they married as young adults and raised 12 children. After the last child began school, Dick convinced her to share the vast love she had with others in the community. In 1985, with a $2,200 award she received from a local television station in recognition for her volunteer work with Catholic Charities, Copeland opened a storefront outreach to serve the needy in downtown Minneapolis. Over the past two decades, she has expanded her operations into a $4 million outreach program that utilizes more than 1,000 volunteers each year. In addition to continuing her established work, she is also working to raise funds for a children's home, a long-time dream to serve orphaned and at-risk children. And she does it all without taking a salary.

"I see a beautiful similarity between Copeland and Mother Teresa," Archbishop Harry Flynn, who leads the Catholic Church in Minneapolis/St. Paul, says in the book. "Both loved the person first -- that's how a bond is created. Both do impossible tasks, beyond human capacity. She might be a sign for the rest of us to reach out just a little more."

Saving Body & Soul: The Mission of Mary Jo Copeland is published by WaterBrook/Random House Publishing and will be sold at bookstores nationwide for $19.99 ($29.99 in Canada).