Athens Banner Herald on Harvest for the Homeless

Fundraiser looking to harvest help for the homeless

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Article By DON NELSON  - don.nelson@onlineathens.com

Published Friday, October 28, 2011

The Athens Area Homeless Shelter, marking its 25th anniversary this year, is counting more on local contributions as the withering economy has dried up government funding that covers the bulk of the local agency’s needs, said AAHS board President Heather McElroy.

“We definitely have to rely more heavily on the community because of the loss of government grants on the federal and state level,” McElroy said. “Our annual budget is just under half a million dollars, and the majority of it comes from grants.”

To help offset the lost grants and bolster the shelter’s budget, supporters of AAHS are relying on the generosity of the Athens-area community to support the eighth annual Harvest for the Homeless, scheduled for 7-10 p.m. Nov. 10 at Hotel Indigo in downtown Athens, McElroy said.

McElroy began volunteering with the shelter through the Athens Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors. She joined the board in 2008.

The shelter serves as a transitional housing option for homeless women with children and can accommodate up to six families at one time, said director Shea Post, who began working with the organization in September. The facility currently provides shelter to six mothers and 12 children, she said.

“We offer families a stable place to live for up to two years,” Post said. “We are always full and always have a waiting list.”

The facility not only provides a place for the mothers and children to live, but also helps them find gainful employment, put money aside in a bank and gain life skills or attain necessary education, Post said.

“The idea is when they leave (the homeless shelter) they move to sustainable independence,” she said.

The homeless shelter was first established as an emergency shelter 25 years ago, and has undergone several improvements over the years, including converting to a transitional housing facility, McElroy said.

The success rate for helping mothers find employment, more stable housing and self-sufficiency has increased over the years, but the bad economy means more women are in need and created a waiting list, McElroy said.

“We’ve been hoping to expand over the years,” she said.

The AAHS board hopes the benefit will raise at least $40,000 with funding coming from sponsorships, tickets sales, a silent auction and a raffle, McElroy said.

Board members expect this year’s raffle prize to generate a lot of interest and money, said AAHS board Vice President Johnathan McGinty.

“(The Harvest for the Homeless) is our primary fundraiser, and it’s built around a raffle where we give away dinner out once a week for a year by raffling off a package of 52 gift certificates from area restaurants,” McGinty said.

The dining out package is valued at $1,600.

The event includes food and beverages and live music in Hotel Indigo’s Rialto Room. Kyshona Armstrong, Emily Hearn and Todd Cowart are scheduled to play, and organizers are trying to line up another musical act, McGinty said.

Tickets to the event are $20 and available the night of the event at the door. Raffle tickets are $5 each or $20 for five.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.helpathenshomeless.org or through the AAHS office.