The 2024 holiday season brought moments of extraordinary community support alongside real challenges for Nest Community Shelter. The “Shine Light, Give Bright” campaign aimed to raise $36,000 for our shelter’s essential services. While we didn’t reach this target, falling about $2000. short, we witnessed remarkable generosity from our community during a time of unprecedented need.
Throughout 2024, we experienced the highest service demand in our organization’s history. Month after month, we saw more individuals and families seeking shelter, meals, and support than ever before. This surge in need wasn’t just a seasonal spike – it represented a consistent trend that challenged our resources and reinforced the critical importance of our mission. Year after year, the need in our community grows, and we strive to meet the challenges that funding our mission can create. This is why we emphasize the importance of our holiday giving; grants can only take us so far and often have stipulations on how they may be used. For example, most grants will not allow you to pay for staff; this comes directly from donations. Our staff provides trained care and support for those in need.
While we did not meet our funding goal, we do believe we hit the goal of bringing our community together in support of our mission and building awareness of experiencing homelessness. The campaign’s Candlelight Gathering stands out as a powerful moment of community connection. Thanks to JOYRide’s contribution of hot cocoa and coffee, attendees came together to raise awareness about homelessness during the holiday season. We also had members of our faith community, Pastors Roscoe Hoffman and Bill Fine, join us, share some words of faith, and lead us in a carol of Silent Night. These moments of solidarity strengthen our shared commitment to addressing homelessness in our community.
Donations continue to provide:
- Safe shelter for men, women, and women with children seeking stability
- Nutritious meals served with dignity
- Connection to support services
- Staff and facility maintenance to keep our doors open
- Volunteer training course to ensure our team is educated on best practices for caring for our guests.
Despite falling short of our holiday fundraising goal, we’ve taken bold steps to meet our community’s growing needs. In early 2025, we opened a new shelter in La Porte, expanding our capacity to serve those seeking warmth and safety. This decision wasn’t easy, especially considering our funding challenges, but we firmly believe that no one should face the deadly threat of freezing temperatures without access to shelter.
The reality is stark: without shelter, people die. This truth drives our commitment to expand services even when resources are stretched thin. Our new La Porte facility, opened in partnership with the Mayor of La Porte’s Office and the Center Township Trustee’s Office represents our dedication to meeting critical needs wherever they arise in our community. While we may not have hit our fundraising target, we refuse to let that limit our response to the growing crisis of homelessness in our county.
As we move forward in 2025, early indicators suggest that the high demand for our services isn’t slowing down. If anything, we’re seeing even more people reaching out for help. This reinforces what we already know – our community needs these services now more than ever. Every contribution, no matter the size, creates a real impact for someone seeking shelter, support, and a fresh start.
The increased demand we’ve seen throughout 2024 and into early 2025 makes your support more crucial than ever. While we didn’t meet our holiday campaign goal, every dollar donated helps us maintain and expand our vital services when the need arises. We’re committed to finding creative solutions and stretching every resource to ensure we can continue meeting the growing needs of our community.
To everyone who donated, shared our posts, attended our vigil, or supported us in any way during our holiday campaign – thank you! Your kindness illuminates paths forward for our neighbors in need. As one candle lights another, so does your generosity spread on in the lives of our guests. The challenges we face are significant, but together, we’re making a real difference in the lives of those seeking shelter and support.
Together, we truly do shine light and give brite. As we continue adapting to meet increasing needs, your ongoing support becomes more vital than ever. For those wishing to support our efforts to provide shelter and services to our community members in need, donations are always welcome. Click here to donate.
The need is clear, and our resolve is unwavering. With your continued support, we’ll keep working to ensure that everyone in our community has access to safe, warm shelter – because every life matters, and no one should have to face the streets alone.
