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Come January, supporters of Ogden's St. Anne's Center will launch a capital campaign to raise up to $6 million by June for the construction of a new homeless campus.
"Our mission has evolved from just an emergency shelter — [seen as] a flop-house for drunks and drug addicts — to a place that helps people transition out of poverty," said St. Anne's spokesman Graham Lovelady.
The current three-story shelter and soup kitchen at 137 W. Binford Ave. is no longer keeping pace with the growing need.
"It's staggering the numbers that come through the door needing services," said St. Anne's executive director Jennifer Canter.
"We have people saying they've never been in this position before" as they ask for free diapers, Canter said. "They'll come in embarrassed."
In the past year, northern Utah's homeless numbers have swelled as an increasing number of recession-affected families fell into poverty. Many find their way to St. Anne's, seeking food, shelter and other basic resources to tide them through their personal rough patch.
Rain or shine, about 130 people line up each day at 11:30 a.m. to nab a free lunch. Serving starts at noon and space is limited.
"We can only seat about 70 people," said Canter. "So it forces a lot of people to stand outside in severe weather to get a hot meal."
The new campus will have the soup kitchen in a separate building, with a dining area that seats up to 200, Canter said. There will also be kitchen areas that sheltered families can reserve for private meal times.
The current shelter's four family rooms lack accommodations for fathers, who get relegated to the men's "dorm" while their wives and children sleep in these now-crowded spaces, each occupied by three sets of moms and kids.
The new shelter will feature 14 family rooms, outfitted for fathers to occupy as well. "The family section will be our biggest improvement," Canter said.
During this city's cold season, which can last up to six months, 30 to 40 intoxicated individuals spend the night on the lobby floor — and are sent packing at 5:30 a.m. when that space is needed for other purposes.
"In the new facility, they could sleep inside year round," Canter said, adding that the center will also be able to offer real help in the form of detoxification, counseling and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings instead of simply turning them back out on the street.
The proposed campus will also include a sorely needed warehouse to store the frequent and generous donations that allow St. Anne's to function. "We get a tremendous amount of donations," Canter said, "but we don't have a storage area at present."
A resident laundry, library and computer room are also planned for the new three-building campus, planned for five acres of city-donated land at 3300 South and Pacific Avenue. Its cost is estimated at $6.5 million to $8 million.
The goal is to raise at least 60 percent of that total by June and start construction during the final fundraising phase. So far, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated $1.5 million.
Ogden residents Alan and Kay Lipman have agreed to spearhead the shelter's capital fundraising effort. At present, the couple is filling slots on the campaign committee.
In addition, Kay Lipman said, they've asked the St. Anne's board to launch an awareness project — "to make the community aware of the dire need for a more modern shelter."
"The economic times are putting people homeless that have never been homeless before," she added.
Lovelady agrees.
"The homeless population is not what it used to be," Lovelady said. "It's our moms and dads and kids, it's you and me."
"That's the only way we can build this," Lovelady added, "if the community recognizes that need."
Housing the homeless
St. Anne's Center, at 137 W. Binford in Ogden, will provide 31,000 shelter nights to homeless clients this year — housing an average of 85 to 100 people each night. Demand has grown by about 10 percent over last year, with a big jump in the number of families needing a place to stay.
The center's annual operating budget is about $500,000 — 35 percent from state and federal grants, 25 percent from organizations and foundations, and the remaining 40 percent from individuals. Cash donations have dwindled amid the recession.
Most of the shelter's food and supplies come through donations. Its biggest expenses are utility bills and four case managers.
Source: St. Anne's executive director Jennifer Canter —
Holiday needs at St. Anne's
New toys to delight 40 children between the ages of 2 weeks to 12 years are needed. They currently live at the shelter and will celebrate Christmas there.