One week has passed since we announced our invitation to join the Board of Directors matching gift proposal. Many of you have stepped up to show your support for the work that takes place at Meeting Ground to help the homeless members of our community everyday and we've raised $1,200, but we still need your help to reach our goal!  

The Board, in a generous show of commitment to our programs, has offered to match 50% of funds received from donors between now and March 31st up to $20,000.

 

Dear Friends of Meeting Ground,

 

With the help of many local churches and a very large number of volunteers we have managed to keep the Emergency Rotating Shelter open since the week of Christmas. Those experiencing homelessness in our community have had a safe, warm place to eat and sleep during the bitter cold weather. This is a volunteer effort that still requires a lot of coordination from Meeting Ground's Sheri Snyder, who has been very capable and committed to directing the Emergency Rotating Shelter and Mary Randall Center. Thanks to all of you who have helped out in some way.

 

Meeting Ground provides many other services that are not volunteer based. Providing in-house small group workshops, as well as knowing who to refer to what assistance program, providing a warm place to stay during the mornings, a place to shower and do laundry, housing women and children short term until they can get into their own place, helping with rapid rehousing, getting people connected with health services, housing veterans, encouraging addiction counseling, etc. is all part of what Meeting Ground does every day. It takes trained personnel to get these things done. As you know, many Americans are a paycheck away from losing their apartment or home. Meeting Ground strives to be there for people when that happens, but also to intervene to prevent it from happening.

 

Meeting Ground is experiencing some very tough times financially. Income is not keeping up with expenses. Belt tightening has occurred in many ways, unfortunately at the expense of some services. We get many grants from private as well as government sources, but they are not sufficient for this rather labor-intensive type of community care organization.

 

The Board of Directors, in a show of commitment to meeting the needs of people receiving assistance from Meeting Ground, would like to announce a matching gift proposal. As a group, we are offering to match 50% of funds received from donors between now and March 31st up to $20,000. This will take the pressure off the finances for a time and allow Meeting Ground to continue providing the high-quality assistance that has provided hope to so many of our brothers and sisters.

 

In Christ's love,

 

The Board of Directors of Meeting Ground: