Description
It all began on New Years Eve, 1999. Mr. Darrell Beck, the visionary behind the Christian Shelter for the Homeless, Inc. was talking to a concerned neighbor about a friend's son-a recovering addict--who had no where to live after completing a rehabilitation program. The closest homeless shelter was 30 miles away, which at that time had no vacancy. Questions quickly arose-Where was he to go? Were there many more people struggling like him?
From that winter's conversation, a dream was born. Papers were filed to create a 501(c)3 corporation; a Board of Directors was recruited; and a building was eventually purchased. After much prayer and equally as much plain ol' hard work, the Christian Shelter for the Homeless, Inc. opened its doors on December 21, 2007. The Shelter received its first resident within a half hour. Within a week our facility was at half capacity. Two weeks later we were forced with learning the difficult decision of how to turn people away..
Since its opening, the Shelter has maintained an average daily census of fifty or more men, women and children. Our facility provides dormitory-style accommodations for twenty single men and six single women on the main level, as well as apartments on the upper level which support up to seven families with children. In addition to providing housing, our volunteer kitchen staff prepares two hot meals a day, seven days a week-which currently translates to about 700 meals each week. Additional services that our mission has found both costly but critical to the care of its residents include:
Transportation on a limited basis
Assistance obtaining medical care and medications
Access to clothing and laundry facilities
Basic spiritual and educational classes
Donations of house wares and furniture
The Christian Shelter for the Homeless, Inc. is proud to acknowledge our guilt for dreaming big. It's with these dreams, and the support of our community, that we found our beginning, and hope to offer the same blessing to countless others.
