By Angie Herrington

Staff Writer

Widows Harvest Ministries is halfway toward its goal of raising $50,000 to continue providing home repair for local widows, members of the nonprofit Christian-based organization said.

The Project One Hundred fundraiser began in spring, and its goal is to get 100 churches, businesses and individuals to donate $500 or more for repair projects, volunteer Mary Barnett said.

"This is money that we are trying to raise so that when those repair projects come up, there's money available so someone doesn't have to wait six months to have a leak stopped in their living room," she said. "If a home starts dilapidating, one's spirit can dilapidate, too, along side of it."

Miriam Thompson, owner of The Rug Rack on West 25th Street, said she is having a special sale through Monday in which partial proceeds will go to Widows Harvest.

Customers who donate $25 can have a special wooden jigsaw puzzle piece with the Widows Harvest logo on it placed on the wall, she said.

Ms. Thompson said she became aware of Widows Harvest after her daughters did community service projects with the organization while in school.

"We're just trying to get the word out to as many people as possible (about Widows Harvest)," she said. "I think it's really important because it's a great cause."

The mission of the Chattanooga-based Widows Harvest is "to plead the case of, provide assistance to and promote the spiritual growth and ministry of widows," according to its Web site.

Founder Andy Mendonsa said the organization has several roofing, house painting and bathroom floor replacement projects on its to-do list for local widows.

"We generally have as many as 75 projects waiting of various magnitude," he said.

E-mail Angie Herrington at aherrington@timesfreepress.com