Service, social justice inspire Catholic Worker House co-founder
David Goodner helps Iowa City house provide meals and shelter
Co-founder David Goodner clears away plates May 14 at the Catholic Worker House in Iowa City during a free lunch. The house recently started serving free hot meals on Saturday evening and midday Sunday to fill gaps in this type of service in Iowa City. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)
Makayla Tendall
May 20, 2017 at 3:27 pm
IOWA CITY — Five days a week, David Goodner works as a landscaper for an Earl May garden center. At night, he lives in and runs Iowa City’s Catholic Worker House, providing shelter and meals for homeless or low-income people in Johnson County.
Goodner, 36, and his partner, Emily Sinnwell, opened the house last July. Goodner, an Iowa City native, graduated in 2009 from the University of Iowa and moved to Des Moines, where he got the inspiration.
In Des Moines, he worked as a professional organizer for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, but also lived and volunteered at the Des Moines Catholic Worker House.
It was then that Goodner said he knew he wanted to move back to Johnson County and start the first Catholic Worker House in the area, at 1414 Sycamore St. in Iowa City.
http://www.thegazette.com/subject/life/people-places/service-social-justice-inspire-catholic-worker-house-co-founder-20170520