Q&A: Good Samaritan Shelter’s Nate Hoffer

Nate Hoffer was a natural fit for Good Samaritan Services. After all, he’s dedicated his life’s work to the nonprofit sector. Over the past decade, he’s served as executive director and now CEO of the Phoenixville and Ephrata organization. Under his tutelage, Good Samaritan Services has grown to eight properties across Chester and Lancaster counties, offering shelter and housing assistance, microloans, job training, and matched savings programs.

Nate Hoffer’s Favorite Things

1. Majolica. “Majolica on Bridge Street is an absolute gem. The chef there, Andrew Deery, is a wonderful guy and a wonderful supporter of Good Sams.”

2. The Office. “This was just coming out when my wife and I got married, so I have a sentimental attachment to it. Every Thursday night, we’d look forward to it.”

3. John Maxwell. “If I’m going to read something, it’s usually something that John Maxwell has written.”

4. Taste of Phoenixville. “It’s always an absolute blast.”

5. Weezer’s 1994 debut. “I really started getting into music in the ’90s, and Weezer’s ‘Blue Album’ is, hands down, my favorite.

Majolica in Phoenixville.	Taste of Phoenixville.  - Partner Content - Ask the Orthodontics Experts at Bryn Mawr Orthodontics Engage New Audiences and Increase Your Profits

MLT: What is Good Samaritan Services’ mission?

NH: What we do is provide shelter and housing to men, women and children experiencing homelessness in Chester and Lancaster counties. We own several properties across the two counties, providing shelter and, in addition, we also have a permanent housing services department where we pay rental assistance to help people get into their own housing.

MLT: What’s the most rewarding part of your work?

NH: I enjoy interacting with the clients that we’re serving. Just today, as I was leaving the office, I spotted a gentleman that I didn’t recognize near our shelter building and looked like he was one of our clients so I introduced myself and had a nice five-minute exchange with him. We talked about sports, how his time at the shelter was going, what he was doing in our program. That just made my heart so happy.

Visit www.goodsamservices.org.