“Oh my goodness, I had tears running down my eyes,” Sister Rency Moonjely said.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two Sisters who serve daily at the Mother Teresa Shelter were honored by the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Crime Reduction Unit in what officers say is a first-of-its-kind recognition for the unit.

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Senior Officer Juan Perez said Sister Rency Moonjely and Sister Sibi Varghese were surprised with an award for their ongoing efforts to support people experiencing homelessness and for their collaboration with police in the area.

Perez said the Sisters’ work has helped improve foot traffic near the shelter, maintain cleanliness and strengthen communication between unhoused individuals and law enforcement.

“To two sisters? We’ve never given an award like this before,” Officer Perez said. “This is just a small token from CCPD recognizing the people in the community who help us and help bridge that gap.”

The Sisters serve at the Mother Teresa Shelter on Sam Rankin Street, where they provide food, resources and a roof to those who don’t have one. They said they typically serve between 25 and 150 meals a day.

Moonjely said the recognition was a complete surprise.

“Oh my goodness, I had tears running down my eyes,” she said.

Both Sisters said they have recently noticed an increase in younger people seeking help at the shelter.

“Maybe 20, 22, 30 — in between 18 to 35 — that makes us sad because we don’t expect it like that,” Varghese and Moonjely said.

People who have been at the shelter say the Sisters’ support has been life-changing.

“That’s my apartment. They made it possible. See!,” Richard, a client at the shelter, said as he showed 3NEWS photos of his apartment on his phone.

James Newton, who first arrived at the shelter 15 years ago, is now housed. He helps bridge communication between the shelter and people experiencing homelessness in the city.

“I call Sister Rency my mom,” Newton said. “Not only did she mold me and guide me, but when she would see me, she’d do things just like a mother.”

Lt. Kody Harrison said addressing homelessness requires strong partnerships beyond law enforcement.

“The homeless issue is often put onto the government or police,” Lieutenant Harrison said. “But to really fix the issue, it has to be done within the community.”

Sister Moonjely and Sister Varghese said the recognition motivates them to continue their work.

“I can see we are not alone,” Moonjely said. “We have somebody with us.”