Thank You

There is no way we can possibly thank everyone who has made a significant contribution to the shelter, especially not in a two-page newsletter! But we would, in this Thanksgiving month, like to highlight several people and organizations who have improved the ministry and the living conditions of the Homeless Shelter. Each of you deserve the most effusive gratitude, and if we had enough ink to fill the oceans and enough paper to cover the sky, we would certainly detail the generous gifts of each and every one of you.

Thank you - to Penny Dugan and the missionaries of New Jerusalem Missions (NJM). It was Penny’s dedication and perseverance, and the prayers and planning of many in the area, that opened the shelter’s doors in March 2005. Under Penny’s directorship, NJM and its missionaries ran the shelter for several years.

Thank you - to all the individual volunteers who were committed to seeing the shelter through its first difficult “baby steps,” when the need surprisingly out-grew the solution.

Thank you - to all the churches and organizations who have come alongside Penny and the Homeless Shelter throughout the years. Because you stepped in to provide more structure and a greater number of volunteers, the shelter survived its first year and went on to grow into what it is today.

Thank you - to the Team Leaders who organize each church’s volunteers. You put a lot of time into recruitment and motivation, as well as encouragement and direction. You are the catalyst between Penny’s vision of a community-run Homeless Shelter and the present successful reality.

Thank you - to all the volunteers who are still committed after six and a half years, and to the hundreds of volunteers who have joined the ranks since. You are the spokes in the Shelter wheel, the many hands making one ministry possible.

Thank you - to the organizations and individuals who are the Shelter’s financial supporters. We all know that nothing in this country comes free, not even showers or heat for the homeless.

There are several organizations to thank, who have granted us over $55,000 in the last four years. These monies have gone to implement programs and improve the facility and living conditions of the Shelter’s residents. Those of you who have volunteered fairly often over the last several years have been able to watch the Shelter grow into what Penny first envisioned - a ministry run by the community, for the community. Those of you who have just recently become acquainted with this ministry would be impressed to learn how far it has come!

Thank You - to the Central Kansas Foundation, Women’s Community Fund (WCF) who has awarded the Shelter with four separate grants. The first financed a family suite, complete with a private bathroom. This was built by area tradespeople and volunteers. The second grant developed the “Physical and Mental Wellness Fund,” which provides financial assistance to residents in need of basic physical or mental health care. This fund was reinforced last year by the mixed blessing of the Richard Regier Memorial.
The third grant helped kick off the Shelter’s Saturday Night L.I.F.E.! (Love, Inspiration, Faith/Family, and Encouragement) effort, allowing the ministry to stay connected with the alumni of the shelter. Just recently the fourth grant was awarded to assist with providing more dedicated “focus on our families,” to purchase new children’s and baby equipment for use at the shelter.

Thank You - to the Schowalter Foundation for making an enormous impact at the shelter, funding various projects over the years including: construction of the walls around the men’s dorm, purchase and installation of a commercial grade water heater, installation of false ceilings throughout the shelter (with insulation above), and relocation of the washers and dryers to create separate men’s and women’s laundry facilities. The largest project you have helped us with is constructing our new kitchen. The kitchen is now in a new location, which is a bigger area and can hold more and better appliances, storage, and equipment. The most recent grant you gave us was awarded to the Shelter in order to buy brand new beds, a much, much needed commodity at the shelter, and appreciated by many!

Thank you - to the Connie Huxman Memorial. Even when we were deeply grieved, we had the opportunity to be the recipient of this fund when our dear friend Connie went to be with the Lord in 2008. This was dedicated to improving the Shelter’s kitchen and, along with moneys from the Schowalter Foundation, made it possible to actually cook at the shelter! The kitchen assists with the L.I.F.E.! endeavors as well as periodically feeding more than just the shelter residents.

Thank You - to the Austin Hawkey Memorial Fund, which has been designated to financially provide for drug and alcohol treatment for those who need it.

Thank You Again - to all our individual financial supporters. We want to ensure each of you that, as the shelter has developed, at no time have improvements been made at the shelter with your funds. Your funds go directly into the operations budget to run the day to day activities of the ministry. Thank you for your faithful and endless giving, we couldn’t do it without each and every one of you.

Thank You Again - to Penny Dugan and New Jerusalem Missions, for going through the labor pains of getting the Shelter started, and for nurturing it through its infancy. We know that the maturity it is growing into is a credit to your hard work and continued support and prayers.