Emergency Shelter services
St. Joseph Lions Help Support the Emergency Shelter ServiceS.
The EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVICE(ESS) is located in Benton Harbor. The shelter's mission is to provide temporary shelter to individuals who are experiencing homelessness. Some of these have been evicted from their prior residence or can no longer live with relatives, or have had to find a place to live because of a fire in their residence. The shelter currently recieves funding from the State of Michigan, United Way and out side groups such as the Lions Club. At the present time the St. Joseph Lions, St. Joseph Township Lions and Lakeshore Lions are assisitng the shelter.
The St. Joseph Lions have been helping to support the Emergency Shelter Service (ESS), formally The Emergency Homeless Shelter, for the past year and will continue to do so in the future. The St. Joseph Lions have provided, on a monthly basis, needed supplies that are requested by the shelter manager. Joseph Lions have provided over $100 per month for th items requested by the Shelter staff.. In the last two months, St. Joseph Lions have collected, from club members, an estimated $350 to purchase gas cards. These cards may be used by patrons to purchase gas so they can drive to work. Also, the gas cards are used to reimburse volunteers who drive the children to summer activities such as to the YMCA.
Some of the items we supplied in the past months were:
Healthy snacks-such as fruit snacks, fruit cups, granola bars, etc.
Cleaning supplies such as disinfectant, bleach, and laundry detergent, to name a few.
Plastic forks and spoons, styrofoam plates and cups. napkins and paper towels.
Garbage bags and yard waste bags.
Breakfast cereal, breakfast bars, etc.
The shelter manager informs the club each month as to the needs of the shelter and club members step up and do their best to provide the items.This is another example of how the St. Joseph Lions serves the community under the motto of, “WE SERVE”