Matched Giving To Winter Sheltering Through Oak Lawn UMC
Oak Lawn UMC will not be able to house the homeless during inclement winter weather due to COVID-19 precautions. Instead, the church plans to use hotel rooms.
Oak Lawn UMC and partners hope to raise $100,000; CMO donates and will match local churches
The Center for Missional Outreach has donated $10,000 and has made a challenge grant to match dollar-for-dollar local churches giving $5,000 toward an initiative aimed to help ensure unsheltered community members don’t freeze in severe inclement weather.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shelter spaces are operating at significantly reduced capacity. Oak Lawn UMC, in a non-pandemic year, would provide shelter for up to 85 unsheltered members of the Dallas community during each night of inclement weather. This would be accomplished by using space in the church building and relying on staff and volunteers to support these efforts.
However, during the pandemic this is not safe. And yet, OLUMC still is committed to providing shelter for unsheltered community members so that they have a place to seek respite from dangerous weather conditions.
Together, the Salvation Army, Austin Street Shelter, The Bridge, Oak Lawn UMC, Our Calling, and the City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions are planning to provide hotel rooms on winter nights that the temperature drops below 36 degrees.
The goal is to raise $100,000 to provide up to 1,300 hotel rooms wherein our community members can rest, shower and maintain a safe social distance appropriate in the pandemic. The initiative also plans to provide two hot meals.
Please consider a contribution that will help ensure the safety of unsheltered neighbors this winter. For more information email Rev. Rachel Baughman.
Published: Tuesday, November 17, 2020