When guests walk into Nest Community Shelter, they are greeted by friendly faces, welcomed in out of the elements, and fed a hot meal. They’ll sit with a Flight School instructor, work on a piece needed to rebuild their lives, or simply rest for the first time that day. It is not just the volunteers and staff at Nest’s shelters that allow these moments before everyone turns in for the night; it is the buildings themselves that allow this vital work to happen in our communities.
Our building in Michigan City works hard every day of the year. That constant use makes Nest a lifeline, and it also makes keeping the building running one of the most important costs grants rarely cover.
Energy That Never Clocks Out
Heat in the winter, cooling in the summer, lights, hot water, and power for the kitchen and laundry keep running whenever guests are here are all critical infrastructure when running a shelter. When energy prices rise, our bills rise right along with them, and those costs don’t wait for the next grant cycle. Our shelter in Michigan City also carries the unique challenge of being a historic building. While lovingly restored with energy efficiency in mind, there are aspects of the building that will always cost a little more to run because of the way the building was originally constructed.
Keep in mind that these resources support dozens of guests each night, every night of the year, without fail, no matter the weather or the season. In fact, we often see greater need when seasons shift, such as during extreme cold or excessive heat.
Washers, Dryers, and Clean Starts
Clean bedding to rest a weary head is about more than comfort. It’s about dignity, health, and running a sanitary shelter. Our washer and dryer run far more than any household machine, so repairs and replacements happen often. When a machine goes down, it affects every guest in the building. Maintaining these industrial-grade units is expensive and requires specialist care. We keep these machines as efficient as possible, as we wash bedding for 30+ beds every laundry cycle.
A Kitchen That Feeds Our Community
Our kitchen is at the center of daily life at Nest. Appliances, plumbing, and equipment need regular care and timely repairs to keep food safe and meals on the table. Like everything else at Nest, the kitchen works hard, and it needs care to keep going.
Our fridge and freezer accommodate the space needed to feed a shelter full of guests, but they are getting on in years and require regular maintenance. Like our washer and dryer, these aren’t simple household items. Our walk-in freezer is large enough to literally walk into and requires specialist parts not found at most hardware stores. Our fridge is in the same boat; while not as large, repairs are often not simple and require a specialist.
While we love our building and the kitchen is truly the heart of Nest Community Shelter, it is housed in a historic building with its own charms and quirks that require regular maintenance.
Why These Costs Matter
Today we are talking about these maintenance items that may seem like a one-time expense or a once-in-a-while expense, but when the shelter is used nightly without respite, they actually happen quite commonly, sometimes happening at the same time. Keeping the shelter safe, functional, and comfortable is part of running a shelter, but it is also essential to our guests’ health and safety. The funds to fix, maintain, or replace must come from somewhere, and grants rarely cover wear and tear or infrastructure items like we mentioned today. Grants are a vital part of how Nest serves our neighbors, and we’re grateful for everyone. But many grants are designed for specific programs, and rarely for the everyday work of keeping a building running. That’s where community support makes all the difference.
Our beautiful home in Michigan City is a true blessing to our organization, and we are honored to be stewards of this historic building on Michigan City’s west side. This means we must pay to maintain the building and all the vital infrastructure needed to run it safely. While we do budget for items like these, sometimes the unexpected happens, and we must find these funds quickly to make repairs; grants don’t cover these expenses. Partnerships, sponsorships, and donor gifts cover these moments, the ones we plan for and the ones that simply happen.
The building may not be what people picture first when they think of Nest, but every night of safe shelter depends on it. Thank you for helping us keep the lights on.
