Shelter success

On Oct. 10, 16 churches from Cape Girardeau County responded to a request from the Sprig of Hope Homeless Shelter and gave their members 10 reasons to invest $10 to provide 10 beds for the homeless in our community.

The United Way of Southeast Missouri began the event with a gift of $1,000. The result was almost $10,000 to go toward making the necessary renovations to provide a safe, legal shelter for those in need.

The Sprig of Hope board of directors thanks all those who contributed either through their church or individually. Monetary donations are still being collected and can be made electronically through the shelter website at sprigofhope.org or by mailing a check to Love INC at P.O. Box 439, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702, noting "Sprig of Hope" on the memo line.

Community members are also needed on the board of directors as we finalize renovation plans and seek additional funding. Especially needed are those with expertise in the legal, construction, social services and accounting fields.

The issues surrounding homelessness are complex and multifaceted. Access to safe shelter will give people in transition the time needed to address these issues as they transition back into a stable situation, providing them with hope for a future bright with possibilities.

Psalms 9:18, "But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish."

CRAIG BOHNSACK, Cape Girardeau

REV. KAREN DUMEY, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Cape Girardeau

EVA HILLIS, Love In the Name of Christ, Jackson

REV. DAN JOHNSON, Evangelical United Church of Christ, Cape Girardeau

KENT KOPF, Cape Girardeau