Planning

The second floor of the old school building has been zoned to shelter 40 people, but to bring the building livable and to code would cost $250,000. We were about $250,000 short, so we needed some innovative ideas. First with cooperation of the Pharos Tribune, an extensive media campaign was conducted to inform the community. Next, we convinced churches and organizations to adopt rooms in the shelter. Some contributed money, some the labor and some both. With the rooms accounted for, we still needed electrical, plumbing, heating, fire sprinkling systems and alarms, etc. We then recieved a grant from the Cass County Community Foundation for $25,000 provided we raise $35,000. It was now time for serious fund raising.

We wrote articles, made presentations at churches/organizations and phone solicitations. A "homeless campout", for pledges was held and collection cans were distributed throughout the area. One man (who we never met) volunteered to go to the local businesses and solicit money. He is personally responsible for raising over half of the donations. It was not until our goal was met that we discovered that he had been diagnosed as terminally ill with cancer and died before the project was completed. His last goal was to help us meet our goal. Within three months we had exceeded our grant requirements.