By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead/WKC
St. Benedict’s Emergency Shelter for Men, also known as St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter, is now accepting bed sponsorships for 2017.
“This is our fifth year of doing this,” said Harry Pedigo, who directs the shelter, located in Owensboro. “These bed sponsorships open up so many opportunities for us.”
Pedigo said that thanks to this campaign, St. Benedict’s is able to serve the 350-plus men who come to the shelter on W. 7th Street every year: “We’re constantly meeting the needs of these guys.”
He explained that bed sponsorships help St. Benedict’s address the needs of each client for a whole year, so the shelter can provide food, personal hygiene products, bed linens and medicine, as well as assistance for each client’s individual needs.
The sponsorships cost $500 per bed, which can either be paid in full or with monthly installments of $41.67.
Pedigo said these donations also help the shelter provide life skills classes, acute case management, advocating services and much more.
Pedigo said a new project this year was the opening of two transitional homes to help the men achieve independence and become productive members of society: “We’re meeting the needs homeless men face, and defeating the barriers they face.”
The two homes are the Good Samaritan Home, located on Pearl Street, and The Foundation Home, located on W. 7th Street. St. Benedict’s is now accepting “room sponsorships” at either of these two homes, costing $250 per room.
As a thank-you to sponsors – or named honorees – their names will be displayed on a plaque at the shelter. A promotional video thanking the sponsors will also run on Time Warner’s Channel 8 for an entire year.
Pedigo said the shelter does not receive any federal funding, and the majority of their budget comes from donations.
“Bed sponsorships make up about a third of our budget,” he said.
He encouraged churches, small groups, organizations and schools to spread the word and consider working together to sponsor a bed at St. Benedict’s or a room at one of the two transitional homes. He said he hopes this year’s campaign has a good turnout.
“If you put faith in God, he’ll provide it,” said Pedigo.