Shelter of Hope gets support from churches, building rent-free for a year

A new ministry for the homeless in Cape Girardeau has pledges of support from almost a dozen churches and a gift of a building rent-free for a year, the Rev. Bob Towner of Christ Episcopal Church said Friday.

The Shelter of Hope will have room to provide emergency shelter for up to a dozen people when it begins operation, Towner said. The group, led by Chaplain Terry Wildman, will announce details of its plans later this week, he said.

The support that Shelter of Hope has been able to generate since it was incorporated Jan. 23 as a not-for-profit charity is gratifying, Towner said.

"I've been trying to get something appropriate done for a long time," he said. "Finally it is falling into place."

The pledges of support for Shelter of Hope include a 12-month commitment of financial support from 11 churches and a gift of a building without cost for a year from Alliance Bank, Towner said.

Wildman is the catalyst behind Shelter of Hope, Towner said.

Wildman, who began ministering to the homeless seven years ago, said he felt called to the work. He suffered a cervical spine accident in 1998, and turned to ministry after finding strength in his faith.

"God gave me the compassion in my heart for the homeless," Wildman said. "I have been close to being homeless myself. My mother was a single mother when I was growing up and we were all on assistance. I remember her taking soda bottles to the store and being hospitalized for malnutrition. Everything I have been through in my life was preparing me for this moment."

Wildman helped organize the New Life Evangelistic Center's Homeless Outreach Center and Free Store at 707 Broadway and spent two months as the principle minister there. He resigned in mid-January, but in an interview declined to say why he stepped down.

New Life Evangelistic Center, founded and directed by the Rev. Larry Rice of St. Louis, has been trying to obtain the old Federal Building at 339 Broadway for use as an emergency homeless shelter and transitional housing center. New Life's application for the building was denied in May by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Rice responded by suing the department.

On Dec. 10, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered the department to vacate its decision and re-evaluate the ministry's application. No decision has been announced.

When New Life made its application, political, business and religious leaders responded by questioning whether a homeless shelter was an appropriate use for the building. But there was also agreement that there are gaps in the services available to help people in need of emergency shelter.

"This is not happening in a vacuum at all," Towner said. "We have some needs, but we want to know what are those actual needs and what is the best, most appropriate response. We have persuaded a lot of other people that this the right way to go."

After renovations, the shelter building will have two small dorms, one for men and one for women, Towner said. Each will have room for four to six people. The idea is to provide emergency help, not long-term or low-cost permanent housing, Towner said.

"It is meant to help that person who is being told they are being thrown out of their house tomorrow," Towner said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent addresses:

38 N. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

339 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

707 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.