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Stories of Change
The Need
In short, we are not able to treat our guests with the dignity they deserve
The onset of a pandemic made the already challenging situation in our aging shelter for men, even more problematic—cramped quarters made it difficult to maintain a safe environment and capacity became a serious limitation. On top of that, the sleeping rooms already had poor ventilation, none of the accommodations are accessible for people with mobility impairments, and the restrooms don’t have enough fixtures and privacy for the number of people served.
The facilities and equipment for our Meal Program have similar shortcomings—a cramped kitchen too small for the number of volunteers cooking, old and unreliable equipment, and inadequate cold and shelf-stable food storage space.
To make matters worse, the nearly 100-year-old collection of buildings that currently serve the men and house the Meal Program is very inefficient. They neither keep heat in the winter or cool in the summer. And they require constant maintenance that is frequently expensive.
Inadequate Pantry
We are unable to store enough food and supplies because our pantry space is so limited.
Crowded Classroom
Guests barely have room to do their program work in our only classroom.
Cramped Dorms
Dorm conditions are undignified—with poor ventilation, low ceilings, lack of natural light and not enough beds or bathroom facilities for our guests.
Accessibility Issues
Our old buildings are inaccessible for those with disabilities. Every entrance has stairs.
“Our men guests deserve a space that provides dignity and safety, so they can start the hard work of change.”
—jason wicklund, executive director
the solution
We believe CHANGE can take place in an environment that provides dignity, safety, and fosters community
That’s why the Christian Aid Center is conducting a $10 million campaign to build a new facility; which includes a shelter for men, a commercial kitchen and community dining room, and five units to house individuals who are unable to join the rest of the guests.
The new 18,000-square-foot building will provide more capacity and privacy, to prepare us in the case of unexpected public health, societal or meteorological challenges in the future. This new infrastructure ultimately promises individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty a chance to find restoration and hope.
A new, modern building will be more efficient and feature brand-new components that will be under warranty or require less maintenance. Despite being a larger building, utility and maintenance costs will remain the same or even go down.
In preparation for this project, the Christian Aid Center recently purchased a property adjacent to the current shelter for men and hired an architecture firm to do a preliminary assessment and provide advice on retaining any of the existing buildings. Their proposed project is what you can see here.
the spaces
plans for the new building
Shelter for Men
The following spaces are planned in the new building:
Lobby, with accessible intake space
Public bathroom and shower, for those not desiring to stay overnight at the shelter
Flexible living quarters with different levels of privacy, to house a maximum of 52 guests
Common living rooms
Classroom
Wellness Clinic
Barbershop
Fitness room
Multipurpose room
On-site staff offices
Separate room for the dorm monitor
Laundry facilities
Meal Program
Often, the first step toward change can be as simple as being served a nutritious, freshly cooked meal, in a caring environment.
The Meal Program space will include:
Community dining room
Commercial kitchen
Dry goods pantry
Walk-in cooler and freezer
Donations receiving area
Special Features
Five separate respite units with exterior entrance, for our non-traditional guests:
Two rooms will be used for single individuals who are unable to join other shelter guests due to a variety of reasons— such as mental or physical health challenges.
Three rooms will be for families experiencing special circumstances—such as single fathers with children, illnesses, etc.
“Personally, Kathy and I support the campaign because we believe these men need the benefit of this new facility.”
—Bill Jordan, board member