Fundraising drive to redevelop Open Door Homeless Shelter (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)
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Fundraising drive to redevelop Open Door Homeless Shelter
9:15am Tuesday 10th March 2009 in Open Door
The fundraising effort will pay for the redevelopment and refurbishment of the Victorian building used by Open Door
Every night, since 1993, Open Door has provided emergency shelter for vulnerable, homeless people in St Albans - over 7,000 of them.
Now we need your help to redevelop and refurbish the old Victorian building that Open Door uses, so as to provide single bedrooms with wash facilities, rather than the existing dormitory accommodation. This will provide a much better environment for homeless people that will boost self-esteem and help people to rebuild their lives.
Other improvements to the building will include the extension of the communal areas to offer access to computers, so opening up on-line resources to help users back into longer term housing, education and work. Revised room arrangements will improve the provision of counselling as well as access to physical and mental healthcare, so addressing the problems leading to their homelessness.
The pressures on the staff and volunteers will be reduced through improvements to the kitchen, food storage, laundry facilities and the staff overnight accommodation. The developments will also give access to disabled users.
Fundraising income is key for this redevelopment project. The programme will cost up to £1 million. (The building contract is currently out to tender, and likely costs will be clearer once tenders are in.) The Community and Local Government ‘Place of Change Programme’ has committed a grant of £525,000, leaving a shortfall of up to £325,000 for the redevelopment Fundraising Appeal.
