Salvarezza retires as Interfaith director

Mary Salvarezza (above) stepped down as Interfaith director at the end of 2008. Cathie Peacock, of Twain Harte, is the new director. Amy Alonzo Rozak/Union Democrat

“There have been a lot of goodbyes,” she said. “It was hard. We are like an extended family. We worry about each other and pray for each other.”

Salvarezza, 80, was one of the founders of Interfaith, which opened its doors in 1988 in a rented warehouse-like building near the county jail in Sonora.

Prior to that, she and the late Isabelle “Hezzy” Arellano provided food and clothing at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Sonora. Two other churches, Columbia Presbyterian Church of the ‘49ers and Sonora United Methodist Church, were providing the same services, so Stan Neumann, also a member of St. Patrick’s, organized an effort to combine services.

Neumann was the first founding director of Interfaith, turning that duty over to Salvarezza after a short time when he decided to study to become a deacon.

The agency grew to 15 member churches offering a variety of services, including food, clothing, showers, companionship, job connections, household goods and firewood.

In 2001, the agency moved into its new, 7,000-square-foot building on Striker Court that cost $600,000 and is fully paid for. It is staffed five days a week by up to 200 volunteers and serves about 500 clients a month. That number is growing with the current economic downturn.

“People who used to come to help others now need help themselves,” Salvarezza said. “It’s hard.”

Cathie Peacock, of Twain Harte, has replaced Salvarezza as the agency’s only paid employee.

Salvarezza said she won’t be able to stay away completely.

“I’ll be back as a volunteer after I take some time off,” she said. “Maybe I’ll help sort clothes once a week when I’m available, but I’m ready to retire.”

Sally Scott, a member of the charity’s governing board, said everyone is going to miss Salvarezza.

“But I don’t think anyone will miss her more than the clients,” she said. “She is wonderful with them. She has total respect for them, and they love her.”

Phil Sandoval, another governing board member, said Salvarezza is Interfaith.

“Everybody associates Interfaith with Mary,” he said. “The volunteers love her, and the clients love her to pieces. She will miss them, too.”

Salvarezza said she feels it’s just a matter of luck whether one needs help or is able to give it.

She was born and raised in Tuolumne of modest means.  

“But we had close-knit families, and everyone was in the same situation,” she said. “Everybody shared. We all helped each other, and we treated everybody with respect.”

She went to nursing school in San Francisco and became a registered nurse, working in Sonora until she married her husband, Jim, and had two children.

“I was very fortunate to be able to stay home with my children,” she said. “A lot of mothers weren’t able to do that. When the children got older, I went back to nursing part time.”

As for the future, Salvarezza said she hasn’t had time to think too much about it.

“So far, I’m just thinking about doing some projects around the house and maybe seeing more of my children,” she said. “I know I’ll keep busy, though. Being busy makes a big difference in how you feel.”

Contact Lenore Rutherford at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 588-4585.