Underwriting support from:
Well House is in its final week of fundraising for the 19:1 campaign and donors are encouraged to give towards meeting a goal of $50,000. So far $28,476 has been raised, just over half the anticipated goal.
Donations from individuals and organizations are being accepted on Well House's website. Due to the generosity of past donors Well House has gone from three homes and one vacant lot to eight homes and five vacant lots within the last year. Since January of 2013, 57 people have been moved off the street into permanent housing with a 90% retention rate. Of that population, 73% had been denied housing from other sources targeting homelessness. It is Well House's vision to continue to purchase vacant, boarded up houses and remodel them to living standards through the use of donor funding.
"Funds raised during our 2014 19:1 Campaign will be used to complete the rehabilitation of 456 Delaware SE and 856 Geneva SE," says Tami VandenBerg, Executive Director. "We purchased both of these homes from the Kent County Land Bank. The home on Delaware will house two families at imminent risk of separation if housing isn't secured. The home on Geneva is a two-unit, that will house between six to eight individuals at any given time. We will be ending homelessness for 12 to 16 of our most vulnerable neighbors, including several children.
The 19:1 campaign is an initiative by Well House to educate the community about Kent County statistics that indicate for every single person that is homeless, there are 19 vacant homes. With that information it is the intention of Well House to provide opportunities for people to donate to its mission to end homelessness through their housing first model.
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