Shared Blessings receives gifts
The Shared Blessings Homeless Shelter has been the recipient of a few donations recently.
The Church of Christ in Bonne Terre donated a van to the shelter and Shared Blessing Director Shelly Bess said they are very thankful for the donation.
“In addition to the van, we have a new playground and privacy fence,” said Bess. “Kyle Lord approached us last year about doing his Eagle Scout merit badge here. It took a while but I found something that he could do. I told him we wanted a secure, private area where people could come out of the shelter and not be seen. Our back patio is right up against these apartments and we had no place we could let the kids out where we knew they were safe.”
The project quickly turned into a playground area that they built with vinyl privacy fencing outside of their basement door. Now the residents and children can go out of the shelter through the basement into that area.
“It all started with Kyle and then Sarah Lockwood was taking a leadership class through the East Missouri Action Agency and she was guided to come here because she had a $500 grant,” said Bess. “She used that grant towards the materials and as part of Kyle earning his merit badge, he was required to raise all the money for the project. With the help of donors from all over the area, the job got done.”
Donors for the project included Masonic Home of Missouri, Dan Ward and Dale Hawkins, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Riverview Chapter, Liz Faries, Polittes Ready Mix, John Kramer, Thrivent Action Team Grant, Linda Dickerson, Gordon Bess Construction, Boy Scout Troop 445, BOGO Sandwiches, Donut Palace, Christian Church, EMAA, First State Community Bank, Home Depot in Festus and Shared Blessing Homeless Shelter.
The total amount raised was just a little more than $3,000 and what was left after all materials were paid for was applied to the general fund of the shelter.
Shared Blessings is the only faith-based shelter which operates totally on donations and with volunteers to help people who are homeless gain an independent lifestyle forever.
For more information about Shared Blessings, visit the shelter at 518 Grove St. in Bonne Terre or call 573-358-2998. A website is also available at sharedblessingsshelter.org or on Facebook.
The new playground and privacy fence project behind Shared Blessings Homeless Shelter is complete.
Ken Wilson, left, with the Church of Christ, donates a van to Shared Blessings Homeless Shelter. Pat Vanhoogstraat, right accepted the donation on the shelter’s behalf.
Kyle Lord was seeking his Eagle Scout Merit Badge and was able to help Shared Blessings raise enough money to build a playground and a privacy fence.
Renee Bronaugh is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-518-3617 or rbronaugh@dailyjournalonline.com
