The Friendship Shelter, Inc. is the homeless shelter serving the Gaylord, Michigan area. In addition to providing shelter and sometimes food, a major focus of The Friendship Shelter's program is training and education designed to ensure continued success for our guests once they transition to independent living.
Announcements
The Great Recession is having a huge impact on the shelter. The number of homeless has increased and shelter support revenue has decreased. We need your help. We ask that you help the homeless by donating funds. Our new Donate Now page provides a convenient way to do this online.
July 28, 2010
Dear friend of the shelter,
I am writing you today with an urgent request. We have exhausted our funding for Salvation Army and MSHDA (Michigan State Housing Development Authority) and are in dire need of funds. One quarter of our budget for 2010 needs to be made up from fundraising and donations and with changes in the way the state and federal governments fund shelters this figure will rise. We will be out of funds by mid August and without monies to carry us to the next ESG (Emergency Solutions Grant) in October we will have to shut our doors. That means the 30 people we’re housing right now will be out on the streets and our staff of nine will be out of a job. We typically serve approximately 300 people per year, many of those children.
Remember a cash donation to a qualifying homeless shelter means a tax credit on your Michigan income taxes. Please give today and help us save this very worthwhile mission.
We do more than provide a safe place to stay. We provide services to help the homeless rebuild their lives: daily living skills, employment skills, parenting skills, savings program/finances, and transportation.
Thank you for any help you can provide,
Sincerely,
Marilyn Kaczanowski
Executive Director
