Willis Dady looking to raise $230,000 by the end of August for shelter expansion

CEDAR RAPIDS - In order to meet its $3 million fundraising goal to break ground on a shelter expansion this fall, Willis Dady Homeless Services is looking to raise about $230,000 by the end of the month.

In March, Willis Dady kicked off its capital campaign to expand the shelter, announcing that more than $2 million already had been raised for the project. The expansion, to be built on the back of the existing shelter, would add 15,000 square feet to the existing 31,000-square-foot facility. The project would also entail a renovation of the current building.

The organization has raised $2,272,550 of its $3 million goal, meaning $227,450 must be raised before construction can begin, according to a Tuesday news release.

Sam Jones, chairman of the capital campaign, said Willis Dady officials are looking to reach $2.5 million before the end of August before they will consider beginning construction this fall.

'A fall groundbreaking would allow us to take advantage of current year construction costs,” Jones said, according to the news release. 'The sooner we break ground, the sooner we can help people who are falling through the safety net.”

In 2016, Willis Dady served more than 1,200 people, sheltering 267 single men and 37 families with about 85 children served.

Executive Director Phoebe Trepp said Willis Dady has outgrown its current space. The expansion will help update the more than 30-year-old shelter at 1247 Fourth Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids.

With the expansion, organization officials estimate they could serve more than 15,000 people over the next 30 years, according to the release. The extra room would also provide a much-needed upgrade in facility space, Trepp said.

'The building has been under heavy use for the last 30 years and the upgrade is desperately needed,” Trepp said. 'Our air conditioning unit has already failed this summer, we've lost two refrigerators that broke and had to replace an entire bathtub. We need to move forward with this project as quickly as possible, which will, for the first time, include funds to help with maintenance of the building.”

And Trepp said a fall groundbreaking is ideal for that reason.

'We are very worried about the state of our building,” Trepp said. 'Also, we have a budget for the project, and we know the longer that goes, the less we'll be able to have for supplies, cost-wise. If we wait...they'll probably be more than they are today, most likely.”

Another reason the expansion is vital to serving Eastern Iowans is because the new space would better accommodate individuals with physical disabilities, officials said. The existing shelter is not wheelchair accessible.

The expansion would also double the capacity for family shelter rooms, bringing the total to eight units that will be more inviting and well-lit than the family units currently are.

'The building was previously a half-way house, so folks that were still in the prison system were living there,” Trepp said. 'We want our clients to feel like they're in a welcoming, safe space, not like they're in a prison building.”

Trepp said Willis Dady is also going to open up a room for men who work third shift jobs so they have a place to sleep during the day, something Cedar Rapids currently lacks.

'There are fairly high-paying jobs on the third shift or (individuals) already have those jobs but can't get into shelter once they get off of work,” she said.

Lastly, a few rooms in the Willis Dady shelter will be available for rent at cost much lower than market value, Trepp said.

More than 15 area corporations, organizations and individuals have donated what Jones called a 'major gift” to the campaign.

'It's overwhelming how many wonderful people we have in this community,” Jones said in the news release. 'These generous donors have helped keep up our campaign momentum since our kickoff and are keeping us in line with our plans for expanding Willis Dady Homeless Services. With the community's continued support, I'm confident we can get to the point where we can break ground this fall.”

To learn more or make a donation, go to willisdady.org/campaign.

l Comments: (319) 368-8516; makayla.tendall@thegazette.com