Emergency Shelter Services Nears Fundraising Goal

Emergency Shelter Services is closing in on a key fundraising goal, and reminding supporters every bit helps. Director Julee Laurent tells WSJM News they’re close to matching a $20,000 grant from the Frederick S. Upton Foundation.

“We have been so blessed with the people in this community,” Laurent said. “Honor Credit Union, Vail Rubber Works, Edgewater Bank, Ravitron. People have jut stepped up and given us great donations, and we are only $3,500 away from that $20,000, and that’s really exciting.”

Laurent says the grant would go toward the day to day operations of Emergency Shelter Services.

“We’re basically the first stop for people who are homeless. We have about $1.4 million in grants from the state, from the government to help people with anything from getting people into an apartment, first month’s rent.”

Donations to meet the match can be made online. Laurent notes the group is hard at work preparing for its annual homeless population count in the area. It will spend the entirety of January 29 going around the community looking for those struggling with homelessness. The search will take staff to soup kitchens, libraries, and other places where someone would go to get out of the cold.