As we wrap up the month of August and our topic of all things Nest La Porte, we wanted to end this month’s series by talking about what the next steps are for Nest La Porte as we prepare to open for the season on October 15th.
Volunteers Save Lives!
We hope that if you’ve followed the blog posts this past month, one thing has stood out: we cannot do this alone. Last year, our operations were only possible in La Porte with the volunteer support of our entire community. Literally hundreds of hours were donated in service to our neighbors in need. Countless lives were saved, and some lives were changed for the better from this opportunity. The way the community rallied around Nest La Porte was incredible! This year, we will need the community to rally support once again. Not only will we be open longer this season in La Porte, but the need has continued to grow. While we are hiring for a few positions in La Porte, we are a volunteer-based organization. If you’d like to volunteer or learn more about volunteering at Nest La Porte, you can find out more information by clicking here.
Between now and October 15th, we will be actively recruiting volunteers. We are seeking steady and reliable volunteers who are committed to a regular shift on a weekly or monthly basis. This means that one Tuesday night per month is your jam, or every Sunday afternoon you’d like to give your time, or maybe it’s every third Wednesday. We need our volunteers to commit to a regular shift that fits their schedule. If you can claim a shift, please do so! We will be providing volunteer training once volunteers are signed up. We will also be holding volunteer meeting call-outs, as well as attending many local events, such as the Farmed and Forged markets in Michigan City and La Porte, where you can sign up to volunteer.
Readying the Shelter
In the time between now and when we open, we are readying the old train depot building, generously donated by the City of La Porte, to support shelter operations over the winter. Our current most significant need is a standard refrigerator with a freezer. We would love a second-hand model in good working order. Please get in touch with us if you have one that you’d like to donate.
We also are in need of several items that we will use daily at Nest La Porte:
- Cereal
- Coffee
- Creamer
- Sugar
- Toilet paper
- Multifold towels
- Paper plates
- Disposable utensils
- Napkins
- 5 gallon bottles of water
- Monetary Donations- which can be made directly here.
All of these items can be dropped off at Nest Community Shelter in Michigan City or at The Center Township Trustee’s office in La Porte (1108 W State Rd 2, La Porte, IN 46350)
Because Food is Love
Currently, Nest La Porte does not have a commercial kitchen in order to cook food on-site. We are actively recruiting faith communities and other community partners to help support meal creation and or meal donation for our guests at Nest La Porte. We believe that no one should go to bed hungry, and that is why we always provide dinner and breakfast for our guests. Nest La Porte is a place of refuge where one can rest in safety with food in their stomach. We want our guests to concentrate on rebuilding their lives, not worrying about their next meal. If you know of a potential partner, please have them contact us as soon as possible.
Stay Updated
We encourage you to stay updated on Nest La Porte by following Nest La Porte on Instagram and on Facebook. You can also sign up to receive the Nest Community Shelter monthly newsletter, which includes news and updates about Nest La Porte.
