Causes: Homeless & Housing, Homeless Shelters

Mission: We are an interfaith community organization addressing the physical, emotional, and spritual needs of homeless men in the greater dover area by providing them with shelter and sustenance, fostering sel-reliance, and offering encouragement and a vision of hope for their lives.

Programs: The organization provided shelter, meals and assistance to 142 homeless men by operating a 36-bed shelter. Volunteers provided dinner daily at no cost to the organization. Board members and other volunteers perform all management functions and operate the office. Student interns and volunteers provide employment counseling, assistance with transportation, classes on financial management, job readiness, resume preparation and computer usage and help shelter residents to complete employment applications. Successful in placing 88 men (60%) in employment and housing prior to their departure from the shelter.

the organization leases two houses from private landlords in order to provide affordable rental housing for men who have been in the shelter and obtained employment or other stable income, but who find it difficult to obtain affordable housing in the private market. No profit is made from this activity. Rents received cover costs. Housing is managed by volunteer board members. A third house was obtained from the delaware state housing authority and renovated for use as affordable rental housing. Dover interfaith mission for housing owns the house with the requirement that it be rented to very low-income individuals within prescribed rent limits for 20 years. A larger former office building was purchased at a cost of $800,000 with a combination of owner financing and a loan for purchase and renovation from ncall research, inc. This building is being converted to affordable congregate housing for 30 or more men. Rents will be charged which reflect actual operating costs. The facility will be managed by the organization and its volunteer board of directors.