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Are We in the Construction Business? Since May of 2007, the Street's Hope transitional living house has been under construction, prompting me (Karen Allen) to wonder if we are indeed in the construction business. My first spring and summer at Street's Hope was spent watching the house I had just come to know and love be seemingly destroyed. In order to meet the requirements imposed by the City of Lakewood (requirements that ensure safety in case of disaster and handicap accessibility to those in need), we have knocked down almost as many walls as we have left standing, or so it seems from my vantage point. The fall and winter has brought the construction phase after the lengthy destruction of spring and summer. We now have a new sprinkler system, a very fancy fire alarm system, new plumbing and electrical work, and oh so much more. We have just experienced the joy of the drywall going up on the studs which to me signifies the beginning of the end of our foray into the construction business. Our general contractor, Dave Porter, and his trusty assistant, Curtis, have become a part of the Street's Hope family. They (and countless volunteers) have worked very hard for very low pay in an effort to get our building up to code and open for business once again. We will miss them when the project is complete, but we are looking forward to the opportunity to miss them. J Leanne Downing, our founder and also a pastor’s wife, told me that people in ministry often say, “If you go through a building program once you need a lot of compassion, if you go through it twice you’re just an idiot.” As a result of this past year, I believe I have full appreciation for that statement. This has been a hard year for the ministry of Street's Hope. We have had to cut back on our ministry to clients because of the financial and time demands of the reconstruction project. The construction is in the final phase, but we need your help! The original estimate to complete the project was sixth months and $93,000. As often happens, we have stumbled upon unexpected obstacles that have changed both estimates. Due to delays in receiving our building permit and the increased scope of the project as mandated by city requirements, the estimated date of completion is now April 30, 2008. Almost exactly one year since we started the project. The new estimated cost is $178,000. Street's Hope has raised $136,600 in donations, volunteer labor, etc. which is well beyond the original estimated cost. However, $136,600 is well below the actual cost of $178,000. The following chart is a summary of our income and expenditures to date on this project as well as a detailed summary of remaining costs:
We have received donations from the Daniel’s Fund, Cherry Hills Community Church, and private donors for the $54,600 in cash donations to date. We have received in-kind donations from Porter Builder, Inc. (Dave Porter, General Contractor), T-Square Ministries (Biff Baldry, architect), Security Plumbing, Jim Younger Sprinklers, H2O Fire Sprinkler, Denver Lumber, Home Depot, Curtis Cleek, Mike Coddington (electrician), Brad Reading, Don Arkell, John Knippa (carpenter), Joe Radcliffe, Jim Bertillucci, and Josh Sheldon. The in-kind donations have amounted to $82,000 in saved costs. Although this savings was great, we still need an additional $34,311.00 in cash to complete the project. Please consider giving a financial gift to help us complete this home. Volunteers Needed: In addition to the $34,311.00 needed in cash, we need a multitude of volunteers to finish the project. We received a $25,000.00 grant from the City of Lakewood that will allow us to put in new flooring, paint, appliances, etc. to finish the house in style for our ladies. The only catch is that all the work done with that grant money must be done by volunteers. We need your help! We need painters, movers, people to lay tile and laminate flooring, install water heaters, install light fixtures, do landscaping… if you have a home improvement skill, we need you! Please contact Margaret Moyer at 303-697-4997 or by email at mm.moyer@comcast.net to volunteer your services. Home Furnishings Needed: In addition to the nuts and bolts construction, we will need home furnishings to make the transitional living home beautiful for our ladies. Street's Hope is listed in the gift registry at Target. We have also picked out furniture at American Furniture Warehouse. Your donations will help turn this transitional living house into a home. Please come to our House Shower on April 26th (drop in any time between 6-9 p.m.) at the Street's Hope house to see our progress in constructing and decorating this home.
Sincerely, Karen Allen The “Now Safe at Home” Executive Director Contact Information email: karen@streetshope.org work: 303-433-2712 cell: 720-629-3623 |
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