Thursday, November 28, 2013

Shifting just a bit: as a donor, how exactly would my monetary donation or material donation to the thrift store benefit the homeless and my community?

           Giving your used material possessions helps us to financially support our shelters. Merchandise is cleaned and priced for sale in our stores. The abundance of material gifts allows us to operate four thrift stores, fund all five of our shelter buildings, provide 20 full and part time jobs, enable clients to learn job skills, recycle community goods, provide people needing to complete Community Service Hours a safe place to volunteer and enables us to give merchandise to those not able to afford some of life’s basic necessities.
            The furnishings in our shelter buildings and offices are predominately from the merchandise that is donated to our stores. These gifts allow us to use our financial resources for other needs such as salaries, utility bills, pest control, food, etc. The store sales generate a sufficient cash flow for us to maintain all the costs associated with our five shelter buildings. These shelters provide bed space for up to 48 men, women and children on a nightly basis, year-round.
            In addition to our funding from the thrift stores, we receive cash donations, grants and foundation gifts from people, churches and businesses in Hernando, Pasco, Citrus, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. These donations complete our financial needs and provide for future expansion. Currently, we are working to remodel a vacant church building in Hernando County into a 30 bed New Life Recovery Program shelter for men. The need for this shelter is great and would not be possible without the support we receive in cash or in-kind donations.
            The shelter buildings that are funded by the community provide both short term and long term care. Clients can come in for a few nights if they so choose. Other clients choose to enroll in our New Life Recovery Programs and stay with us for a year or longer. While with us, these individuals have opportunity for immediate life changing experiences, can finish their high school diplomas or enroll in college. Biblical based life skill classes, weekly worship services and prayer meetings help to facilitate permanent life changes for our clients. 

            Our community is served by the work we accomplish with our clients. Men and women who were without hope or a productive role in the community are now giving in a positive way to Hernando County. Taking responsibility for their lives helps the community reap the benefit of positive and productive living rather than seeing these people fall into criminal, immoral and unproductive lifestyles. As the least among us are raised higher, the entire community is raised to a higher standard of living. As Christians, we seek to serve rather than to be served. This principle is paramount to our teachings and to the client’s full recovery here at Jericho Road Ministries.

Ministry Scenes

Have The Homeless Become Invisible?