About the Bedford Men's Warming Shelter
Our Mission:
The Men’s Warming Shelter offers our homeless neighbors a safe, welcoming and warm place to sleep so that no man freezes to death on the streets and roads of Lawrence County.
Our Vision:
The ultimate goal of the Men’s Warming Shelter is to connect homeless men with services and resources that will help them to lead full, active and responsible lives.
The Men’s Warming Shelter offers our homeless neighbors a safe, welcoming and warm place to sleep so that no man freezes to death on the streets and roads of Lawrence County.
Our Vision:
The ultimate goal of the Men’s Warming Shelter is to connect homeless men with services and resources that will help them to lead full, active and responsible lives.
History:
In 2013, a homeless man died from cold exposure on a street in Bedford and others were sleeping outside near the downtown area. Following this tragedy, Fr. Rick Eldred, then Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, worked closely with a coalition of other Lawrence County churches and city and county governmental officials to establish a low barrier shelter for homeless men during the harsh winter months. The Men’s Warming Shelter opened on January 2, 2014 and has operated each year since then. The Shelter was originally coordinated by and housed in the Salvation Army Building at 1629 K Street in Bedford. After the Salvation Army relocated in 2016, the City of Bedford eventually purchased the building and generously allowed the Men’s Warming Shelter to once again operate from that facility. Unfortunately, the lease with the City terminated on April 30, 2021 and could not be extended. However, in August 2021 we were fortunately able to purchase a building at 1414 H Street in Bedford which is the new home of the Men’s Warming Shelter. The one-level building is ideally located, is spacious, and after many costly renovation expenses meets our program needs perfectly.
Another significant change is that the Shelter incorporated as Stone City Alliance for Recovery and Hope, Inc. (SARAH) on October 23, 2019. On March 5, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service approved SARAH as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, charitable organization allowing donors to make tax deductible donations to the organization.
In 2013, a homeless man died from cold exposure on a street in Bedford and others were sleeping outside near the downtown area. Following this tragedy, Fr. Rick Eldred, then Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, worked closely with a coalition of other Lawrence County churches and city and county governmental officials to establish a low barrier shelter for homeless men during the harsh winter months. The Men’s Warming Shelter opened on January 2, 2014 and has operated each year since then. The Shelter was originally coordinated by and housed in the Salvation Army Building at 1629 K Street in Bedford. After the Salvation Army relocated in 2016, the City of Bedford eventually purchased the building and generously allowed the Men’s Warming Shelter to once again operate from that facility. Unfortunately, the lease with the City terminated on April 30, 2021 and could not be extended. However, in August 2021 we were fortunately able to purchase a building at 1414 H Street in Bedford which is the new home of the Men’s Warming Shelter. The one-level building is ideally located, is spacious, and after many costly renovation expenses meets our program needs perfectly.
Another significant change is that the Shelter incorporated as Stone City Alliance for Recovery and Hope, Inc. (SARAH) on October 23, 2019. On March 5, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service approved SARAH as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, charitable organization allowing donors to make tax deductible donations to the organization.
Staff:
Board of Directors:
Valued Supporters:
- Program Director
- Case Manager
- Facility Monitors
- Our staff is supplemented by the invaluable assistance of many dedicated volunteers
Board of Directors:
- President – Charles Edwards
- Co Vice Presidents – Josh Jackson and Ed Stephenson
- Treasurer – Linda Smith
- Secretary – Greg Stanley
- Brad Bough, Bedford City Councilman-District 3
- Lori Branam, Indiana Center for Recovery
- Wally Branham, Lawrence County Commissioner-District 3
- Kim Burgess, Rural Director, United Way of South Central Indiana
- Dr. Deborah Craton
- Janice Nickeo-Pendergrass, Founder/Executive Director of Bertha's Mission
- Rev. Jegan Peter, Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
- Josh Robbins
- Tim Thompson, Pastor of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
Valued Supporters:
- Bedford Federal Savings Bank
- Capstone Ministries
- CenterPoint Energy Foundation
- City of Bedford
- Lawrence County
- Lawrence County Community Foundation
- Mary Elizabeth Ober Foundation
- REMC
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis
- Salvation Army
- Smithville Charitable Foundation
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- United Way of South Central Indiana
- Walmart Foundation
- Bartlettsville Christian Church
- Clearview Baptist Church
- First Baptist Church
- First Assembly of God Church
- First Christian Church
- First Church of God
- Old Union Christian Missionary Services
- Popcorn Christian Church
- Restoration Church of the Nazarene
- Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
- St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
- Tabernacle of Praise Church
