NEWS RELEASE
AGAPE SAFE HAVEN
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Beginning December 10th and running through December 17th drop off donations like pantry staples, grocery store gift cards, and warm winter clothing to LSE Builders Group located at 318 Main Street in Longmont.
“All donations will be used to support Safe Haven’s Day Shelter Services which is separate from our year-round sheltering service,” says Agape’s Executive Director, Jessica Bennett.
“We reopened our Day Shelter services on September 9th so that anyone experiencing homelessness can come to our shelter located at 10656 Parkridge Ave., Longmont every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 am to 1pm. Once there they can shower, do a load or two of laundry, eat a hot meal, and fellowship with our volunteers and staff. Even though we are in a small home with a small kitchen we have served over 350 meals since September 9th”, notes Ms. Bennett.
Staff and volunteers also go out into area parks and other areas to personally invite the homeless to come back to the shelter. Says Ms. Bennett, “Those outreach days are so important to us. We make a real effort to meet the homeless where they are in an effort to get them connected with other services available to them in Longmont, such as other overnight shelter sites and case workers with the Angel Initiative Program. And the only way to connect them to these services is to establish a level of trust. Offering them food and fellowship helps build trust. We have been able to connect so many homeless with services and case workers these past few months. I am so proud of the work our staff and volunteers do each and every week!”
Community partners and community support are vital to the work of Safe Haven. LSE Builder’s Group co-owner, Carla South, became acquainted with Safe Haven through her work with the Serve Team at Lifebridge Christian Church.
“My involvement began after volunteering with Lifebridge at Safe Haven creating hygiene kits and delivering them to the homeless. It was an incredible experience! We here at LSE Builders Group want to be a source of strength in the Longmont community and encourage others to support our homeless brothers and sisters through time or charitable donations,” says Ms. South.
“Being a Christian and member of Lifebridge means I am called to live and love like Jesus -the very meaning of Agape inspires us at LSE to work with the homeless so that they don’t just remember a gift card or food donation but they remember how they were treated and honored as a valued part of our community”, continues Ms. South.
For more information about Safe Haven please visit www.agapelongmont.org
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