SUMMERVILLE, Ga. — In an economic climate where nonprofit groups everywhere are hurting for donations, a Chattooga County homeless shelter has had its best fundraising year ever.
The Well at Chattooga Inc. brought in about $54,000 in 2009, up from just more than $30,000 in 2008.
“It takes a lot of money just to keep the doors open,” said Roxie Weesner, the Well’s executive director.
The shelter, which serves women in Chattooga, Walker, Dade, Catoosa and Floyd counties, opened as Chattooga County’s only emergency shelter in 2003, but when Ms. Weesner took over in 2005, there was only $128 in the checking account.
“I said, ‘Lord how am I going to do this?'” the director recalled.
After appealing to churches and individual donors while applying for grants, “the little shelter that will” added staff and services for its clients, Ms. Weesner said.
Chattooga County recently signed on to give the shelter $7,500 in 2010.
“Sometimes it’s amazing when it comes in,” said shelter manager Lynn Puttere.
The growing funds allow the shelter to take residents to work or medical appointments, cover some medical expenses and serve three meals a day.
“Many of our girls come walking in off the street,” Ms. Puttere said. “I thank God every day we have a place for these girls.”
Residents staying at the shelter on New Year’s Eve agreed.
“I had nowhere else to go,” said Margie Bullard, who has been staying at the Well for about a month. “I thank God for the Well so we have some place to go when it’s cold and rainy like today.”
Chattooga Commissioner Jason Winters said homelessness is not a problem that the county has had to deal with much because most residents have family members to stay with in tough times. But as the county grows, he said, there may be more of a need for such services.
“If it wasn’t for that facility, we wouldn’t have anywhere for them to go,” he said.
It’s a familiar story for Rhonda Hood, who came to the shelter Dec. 30.
“It gives me serenity,” she said. “It gave me a roof when I really needed it.”