BEDFORD – The Men’s Warming shelter has been a staple in Bedford since Father Rick Eldred first started the organization following the tragic death of a homeless man, who died of hypothermia in 2013.
Father Rick had enough and started the program on January 2nd of 2014. The only issue he faced, was providing a permanent building for the men who needed a place to rest and stay warm during the harsh winter months. This all changed in 2021. The group now faces additional challenges as their new home needs drastic improvements.
After taking out a loan to purchase the property, the group then had to take out another loan to pay for the needed upgrades to get the building up to code.
Men’s Warming Shelter Director, Heather Flynn, says the next step is paying off the loans that were needed to fix the building.
“There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of to get the building up to code. Our focus is to get everything the men need to feel more at home,” said Flynn. “Our fundraiser is to go towards helping pay back the loan we took out in order for the building to meet code.”
With getting the building approved to house these individuals, comes large costs and multiple projects in order to get everything ready for the next season. Taking out a total of $515,000 for the funding to the building, Flynn knows the next steps to make the building better.
“We know it is a very large number, and the cost of supplies has risen over the past few years and that has played into it. We had received an extension to allow the men to stay this last year from the state, but that has passed. If we want to open our doors again in November for these men, we need to fix the building,” Flynn said.
There are 11 main areas of focus the shelter needs to provide every man who walks through their doors with the necessary services and support they need. These include:
- $124,000 Mortgage/Building Loan
- $24,200 Permits, Rentals & Engineering study
- $74,000 Drywall, Studs, and Painting
- $53,950 Electrical and Security
- $80,300 Plumbing and Bathrooms
- $80,350 HVAC
- $20,150 Doors and Hardware
- $20,000 Appliances and Cabinets
- $14,150 Floor Coating
- $10,250 Concrete, Earthworks, and Fence
- $13,650 Demolition and Dump Fees
Flynn believes that if everything falls into place properly, all of the upgrades will be ready by November 1, 2022, just in time for the next operating cycle.
If you feel the need to help the shelter, donations can be brought in after 5 p.m. daily.
You can also mail a check to:
SARAH/Men’s Warming Shelter
P. O. Box 430
Bedford, IN 47421
Stone City Alliance for Recovery and Hope, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable, not-for-profit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. In accordance with IRS regulations, no goods or services have been exchanged in conjunction with this donation.
The shelter has numerous volunteer opportunities (guest check-in, food preparation, clothing organization, laundry, haircuts, entertainment for guests (games, music), budgeting training, clerical, etc.). If you are interested in becoming a Shelter volunteer, contact volunteer@bedfordmenswarmingshelter.org for more information.
