Hesed House – Lincolnton, North Carolina

I was recently sent an e-mail that touched me and I am now sitting here considering participating. This year I have seen many families that were potentially going to lose their home and shown many foreclosures. Where can you go locally when you need help? I considered this often. I had never heard of this effort, so I wanted to share this with all of you. I imagine it requires a lot of volunteers to make it work. I want to go tonight! Want to go with me?

Here is some information that I found about Hesed House online. Their website is http://www.hesed-lincoln.org.

“Lincoln County Facts on Homelessness:

■In the 2007/2008 school year, 59 children in Lincoln County were classified as homeless
■Homelessness in Lincoln County has at least doubled from 2006 to 2008
■Make-shift shelters in the woods are increasingly found by police

On January 1, 2008, the Lincoln County community came together in a remarkable way to open the county’s first roving shelter for individuals with no home to protect them from cold weather. Over 100 area churches, community organizations and individuals gave their time, money and food to house a total of 29 individuals, the youngest of whom was six years old.

Our organization, still in its infancy today, has the vision to become a strong, viable charity that reflects the great spirit of hope and generosity that binds our community. Our goal is to give shelter to those in need, lifting individuals up out of poverty and into self-sustained, healthy living whenever possible. Raising the funds and volunteer support to build a permanent shelter is the first major step.

Fundraising progress for construction of the new permanent shelter. So far, $110,000 has been raised! We need your help to make it possible to break ground in 2009!

An intake process helps to make sure our shelter is a safe place for people of all ages. Shelter guests must be alcohol and drug free. Community wellness programs support individuals in turning their lives in a positive direction so that they may eventually become independent.

Hesed House of Hope is currently run entirely by volunteers. To organize, provide intake, feed, shelter and supervise guests for one week, an average of 77 volunteers are required. Volunteer support is the beating heart inside our efforts to shelter those with no home.”

This all started with an e-mail I recieved throught the Licoln County Board of Realtors…
“As volunteer coordinator for Hesed House, I’m asking for volunteers. We’re starting up as of January 8th and plan to go until March 31. We need help in two main catagories:

– Intake, which is where we screen clients for drugs, alcohol, and criminal records. Everybody has to be clean and sober to be in our shelter. Intake training will occur January 4 and 5 at the Citizens Center at 7 p.m. Attending either night is sufficient.

–Staying overnight at the shelter. The Fire Department has asked us to let them give us training in fire safety and CPR January 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. at the downtown Fire Station, downstairs in their training room. Again, only one night is necessary.

Our schedule is for intake to go from 5:30 – 6:15 each night, 7 days a week. The clients are then taken to the place where they are to sleep. They are fed a hot meal, watch a little TV, then go to sleep. They awake at around 6 a.m., eat breakfast, then are transported from the facility before 7 a.m.

Our center could never operate without volunteers. They make everything work for the homeless, so I hope you will sent folks an e-mail asking them for help. We’ve had our difficulties getting started this year, but this bad weather really underscores the need.”

Please note that you must act quickly to be a volunteer. Good work Hesed House!