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, we are happy to announce that we have purchased a building at 1414 H Street in Bedford which will be the new home of the Men’s Warming Shelter. The one-level building is ideally located and is spacious, but will require extensive and very costly renovations. We will need and hope for the community’s full support as we move forward.
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, we are happy to announce that we have purchased a building at 1414 H Street in Bedford which will be the new home of the Men’s Warming Shelter. The one-level building is ideally located and is spacious, but will require extensive and very costly renovations. We will need and hope for the community’s full support as we move forward.
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
- Assistant Director
- Facility Monitors
- Our staff is supplemented by the invaluable assistance of many dedicated volunteers
Board of Directors:
- President – Charles Edwards
- Vice President – Pastor Tim Thompson, Pastor of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
- Treasurer – Linda Smith
- Secretary – Greg Stanley
- Brad Bough, City Councilman-District 3
- Pastor Ken Bushey, Pastor of Restoration Church of the Nazarene
- Rodney Fish, County Commissioner-District 1
- Corrina Hayes, Program Director of Becky's Place
- Janice Nickeo-Pendergrass, Founder/Executive Director of Bertha's Mission
- Rev. Jegan Peter, Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
- Josh Robbins
- Ed Stephenson
- Jeremiah Turner
Valued Supporters:
- Bedford Federal Savings Bank
- Hillenbrand
- In-Fab
- Lawrence County Community Foundation
- Lawrence County Men Who Care
- Lawrence County Women Who Care
- Mary Elizabeth Ober Foundation
- REMC
- 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 Christian Church
- First Church of God
- Restoration Church of the Nazarene
- Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
- St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church