shelterworks News from the Willis Dady Emergency Shelter
Mark’s Story
Fall
2015
documents verifying his past income, medical history, and veteran’s status. This really helped to speed up the application process.
The veteran was accepted into the SSVF program and started to work with Ray, a Willis Dady veteran advocate case manager. A Success Story: Supportive Services for Veteran Ray had high praise for the veteran’s energetic search for Families By Mark Brown, Veteran Outreach Specialist stable housing; within 20 days the veteran was able to secure Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF, or an apartment at Oakland Court & Gardens. Without the Operation Home) is operated by HACAP, and Mark Brown assistance of SSVF he would not have been able to do so is one of three Willis Dady staff who do case management due to his lack of income, and he would have remained and outreach under this grant. In the first year of SSVF homeless until he could save enough money. (2013-14), Willis Dady staff worked with 142 veterans in a 7-county area who were literally homeless or who faced I also referred the veteran to the Homeless Veteran immediate loss of their homes. Here Mark tells a very Reintegration Program (an employment program for encouraging story of one determined client who got back homeless veterans), where case manager Bruce Borrett was able to place him in a job training position. His diligent on his feet as a result of this program. work in this program resulted in his getting a part-time In June Willis Dady staff member Denine Rushing job as a deli cook at Hy Vee, and he has continued to informed me that there was a veteran staying at our shelter work part-time at Goodwill. He is also working to get his who was interested in the Supportive Services for Veteran Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license, and he would Families program. I arranged to meet with the veteran at like to work eventually in a hospital. the Cedar Rapids Police Substation. He had faced some severe health challenges; not only did he have diabetes, but This success story is what SSVF is all about: Getting he had also recently had two strokes. While recovering veterans stable housing as quickly as possible so they from the strokes, he had been living with his mother in can move forward with getting employment and make New Orleans, and he “almost had to learn to walk again.” successful contributions to our community. He came to Iowa with no income and no vehicle. He came here, he said, because he had heard of the SSVF program. Dady Doings
Success Story
My first impression of this man was that he was very highly motivated to get stable, independent housing and to get back to work. He had compiled all of the necessary
Linn County Sleep Out for the Homeless
Saturday November 7th, Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Willis Dady Emergency Shelter Board of Directors Sam Jones, President Jason Vestweber, Vice President Charisma Wickham, Secretary Stephanie Harris, Treasurer
Sam Bergus Jim Burke Melissa Cullum Connie Donovan
Al Fisher Rebecca Jacobs Jill Kasparie Jim Koch
James Locke Dave McInally Abhay Nadipuram Janet Slimak
Gisele Tallman
Phoebe Trepp, Executive Director
Over the past few months I have had the privilege of learning about how Willis Dady started and the changes we’ve experienced to become the agency we are today. Willis Dady began in 1987 as a senior project by Mount Mercy University student Jim Welborn. Prior to college Welborn spent 25 years struggling with homelessness and alcohol addiction. In honor of the help he received, Welborn started Willis Dady as a safe place for homeless men to escape the dangers of the streets. Soon after opening Willis Dady began offering overnight emergency shelter. In more recent years we have evolved to offer additional services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness; services include prevention and outreach to homeless veterans. Along with Willis Dady there are now 6 other homeless shelters in the area that serve various populations. Willis Dady remains committed to our founder’s vision—primarily serving single men—and is the only shelter in Linn County that houses single fathers with their children; we also house couples with children. Each year we provide the most nights of shelter to men in Linn County, and in three of the past four years we have provided the most nights of emergency shelter in all of Linn County; an average of 9,500 nights per year. In 2007 we began providing case management to those staying in our shelter, men and families alike. Case Management focuses on specific goals tied to finding and keeping permanent housing: finding employment, enrolling in programs that provide food and day care subsidies, securing transportation, and finding safe and affordable housing as soon as possible. Because of our Case Management, 60% of Willis Dady clients secure permanent housing within 30 days of entering the shelter. I thank you – the supporters of Willis Dady – for your ongoing compassion for those who face homelessness. Your support and interest in the causes and cures for the problem of homelessness make it possible for us to continue our work. - Phoebe Trepp
Thank you to the St. Pius X Social Justice and Outreach Commission for their selection of Willis Dady as a recipient of their monthly “pink envelope” collection. The parish’s pink envelopes are tithes collected specifically for community organizations that provide support for those in need. Thanks to their generosity, Willis Dady will now receive $500 each month! St. Pius has been a long-time supporter of Willis Dady, regularly providing meals and hygiene items to the men and families staying at our shelter. Thank you to St. Pius for their generous and compassionate support of people experiencing homelessness in our community.
Willis Dady participated in the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity “A Brush with Kindness” Blitz in early August. We were thrilled to be a part of this fantastic event to help our neighborhood home owners with some exterior repairs and painting.
WDES is proud to be a Community Partner of the United Way of East Central Iowa.
Give to wdeS
How Can I Help?
OVERNIGHT VOLUNTEER
If you are interested in volunteering as an overnight volunteer please contact Joseph at 319.362.7555 ext. 106 or email services@willisdady.org. Overnight volunteers are able to sleep during their shift and help us meet an essential daily shelter need.
Volunteer Needs Photography | Web Design Overnight Volunteers | Database Management
Volunteer at Willis Dady
Willis Dady is always in need of volunteers for all kinds of tasks. Please contact Denine to let us know about your talents and interests at 319.362.7555 or wdesra1@willisdady.org.
Financial Support
Help Now To contribute to shelter operations and services:
Online 1. Go to http://willisdady.org/ 2. Click on “How to Help” 3. Click on the box near the bottom labeled “Donate Now through Network for Good” 4. Enter your donation and credit card number U.S. Mail 1. Return the envelope included in this mailing with your contribution
Invest In Our Future To help ensure that shelter and services continue into the future, make a donation to our Endowment at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. Phone 1. 319 366-2862 Online 1. Go to https://gcrcf.org. 2. Move cursor to “Donors” option near top of page 3. Click on “Giving Opportunities” 4. Click on “Search Giving Opportunities” 5. Scroll down to “Willis Dady Emergency Shelter” on alphabetical list and click on “Action” at far right
Future Newsletters Would you like to receive our Newsletter via email instead of paper copy? Or have you not been in contact with us in the past few years but you would still like to receive the newsletter? If so please contact Joseph at: services@ willisdady.org or by phone at 319.362.7555 ext. 106.
Donate Items to Help the Shelter & Those We Serve
WDES has made arrangements with Stuff, Etc. to accept items on behalf of the shelter. Proceeds from sold items will be applied to our account. When dropping off at Stuff, Etc., 252 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE C.R. Please use account number 13519.
Thank
Special thanks to some of those who have recently given donations or awarded grants St. Jude Church John XXIII Catholic Church All Saints Catholic Church St. Joseph Catholic Church Concordia Lutheran Church
Harding Middle School Pacesetter Youth Camp St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Volunteer Group
A big thank-you to all of our 5K sponsors: Cedar Ridge Winery, Mercy Medical Center, UnityPoint, Transamerica, Collins Community Credit Union, Lamar, Channel 9 Show You Care, Dupont, Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, Skogman Realty, Alliant Energy, Lederer Weston Craig, and Covenant Clinic
Thank you to all of the people and volunteers who attended our annual 5K– it was a great success and a beautiful run! A special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Cedar Ridge Winery!
1247 4th Ave SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Willis Dady Volunteers In early April we were contacted by the ARC of East Central Iowa about hosting a group of 5-7 volunteers at the shelter for 1-2 hours one day a week. Since that time, volunteers from the ARC have contributed over 200 hours of service and have kept the staff, men’s, and family areas clean and well-maintained. We thank the staff and clients of the ARC for all their hard work and support!
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 49 Cedar Rapids, IA