The Esther Project

My Hometown Helpers The Esther Project

A collection event for The Esther Project’s annual Purse Project is taking place Saturday, November 20.

Provided photo

Gates family closing the gap from shelter to the home

By Tami Raco

Cheryl Snead began helping women and single moms when she was a stay-at-home mom raising her family in Gates. Cheryl felt blessed that her husband could provide so that she was able to be home to raise their three children. She began helping single moms who struggled with childcare so that they could work. “I saw these moms with no husband or support struggle, and I kept asking myself, ‘How can I help them?’” Cheryl and her husband Dwayne lived by the motto, “When blessed, bless others.” They began helping displaced women with housing, transportation, and necessities. For more than 30 years, they used their own home to house displaced women and even gave their own car to help a single mom struggling to get to work. Helping women in need eventually blossomed into a non-profit called the Esther Project Inc. The Esther Project’s mission is to help women transition from shelter living by providing a clean and safe home in which to live while re-establishing themselves.

A few years ago, The Esther Project purchased its first property. The home, located in the city and in need of many renovations, was purchased with the dream of converting it into a clean, comfortable home to house women in transition. The home has been gutted and is currently being renovated. Cheryl’s husband has done much of the work. Dwayne, who is retired from the Rochester Police Department, is looking for volunteers with skilled trade experience to help him with roofing work, HVAC, and drywall. Once the house is open, women from homeless shelters will be placed in the Esther Project house. Cheryl will help the residents transition to independence through coaching, training, resume writing, and workshops. The goal is to help them be employed and independent.

The Esther Project’s annual Purse Project is underway. An area-wide collection of toiletry items, socks, mittens, and underwear is taking place on Saturday, November 20, to fill purses for women, book bags for men, and drawstring totes for teens. The filled bags will be given to those living in area homeless shelters. Four area collection sites will be accepting items from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. One is at Grace Covenant Church, 224 Chestnut Ridge Road in Chili. Visit the website for a wish list of items being collected and other drop-off locations.

To find out more about the Purse Project donations, to learn more on how to support the Esther Project, or offer help with the home renovations, visit https://sites.google.com/view/ the-esther-project-inc/home.