Local Businesses and Individuals Provide Donations to Support Women Struggling with Homelessness
Earlier this month Dayspring Women's Center was blessed that so many came together to help us complete our Laundry Room Project. Together with Sam Akbik of Sam's All-Tech (a Valparaiso business licensed in home/ business remodeling and owner licensed as a professional mechanical contractor), funds from the Home Depot , Joanne Kashani (a Valparaiso resident and donor who funded the project), and generous volunteers our team was able to complete the almost $5000.00 project without having to utilize any of Dayspring's operational budget.
In a little under 4 days Sam and his team took a small, dark basement space and transformed it into a beautiful and welcoming environment. "This was such an inspiring and unimaginable chain of events," said Dr. Rachel Niemi, Dayspring's Executive Director. "We thought there was no way we would complete this project in our first year of opening, but I guess this just demonstrates the generosity of our community and the local businesses and people who care about good causes."
Joanne stated, "I wanted to be able to give our community ladies who need Dayspring a moment of 'good morning sunshine's' in their day while honoring a very special person to me who was my 'good morning sunshine.' These women, many of whom became homeless by job loss and other adverse circumstances they had no control over, deserve to be respected, feel clean and healthy, and I am glad I could take part in helping accomplish that." Thanks to the efforts of these individuals and businesses the women who participate in our program will now be able to do their laundry here at Dayspring and, soon enough, will even have a safe place to take a shower. Due to the generosity of the individuals completing this project, another donor from our community has stepped forward to cover the $3200.00 cost of a shower room adjacent to the laundry facilities due to be completed in October.
Dayspring is always looking for new and exciting ways to partner with local businesses and individuals to meet the needs of the women we serve as they move forward in their journey towards stability and wholeness. They are currently working to build a webpage to honor their corporate and community partners and are proud of the relationships they have established thus far. Their needs in helping this population are numerous, but they are both great and small. "There are so many ways in which so many can help," said Rachel. "Whether that is bringing us a can of soup or donating $1000.00 to help us cover a month's worth of rent, we are so grateful for everything the community is willing to give."
To gain a fuller understanding of Dayspring's needs please visit their website at dayspringvalpo.org/donate to find ways in which you can give. Dayspring also has an interactive wish-list via amazon.com; with one click you can give items that Dayspring is in need of, and amazingly they will ship right to their doorstep.