Out of the Ashes uses $1 million grant to buy Rutherford County church to help homeless

FOREST CITY, N.C. (WLOS) — A homeless organization in Rutherford County has purchased property to help people transition out of homelessness.

Out of the Ashes received more than $1 million in grant money from Dogwood Health Trust. The organization used that money to purchase a recently renovated church near Forest City to expand its capacity from 25 beds to 70.

"You'd be surprised how many people are just one pay check away from being homeless. Not everybody that comes to us has drug problems. We have veterans. We have people who are 75 years old on down," Out of the Ashes founder Pat Chamberlain said.

NONPROFIT PLANS HOMELESS SHELTER THAT WOULD FILL HOUSING GAPS

Dogwood’s grant funded the purchase of the 14,300 square-foot church that sits on 7.4 acres. An additional four acres of buildable land with water and sewer will allow for future expansion. The new facility will include low-barrier, dry shelter and transitional housing. The grant will also fund two shuttle buses to transport residents to engagements that are part of their wellness journey, allow for centralized supportive programs to improve efficiency and access and provide onsite childcare that will allow mothers to work and take a vital step towards self-sufficiency and permanent housing. Low-barrier shelter does not currently exist in Rutherford or Polk counties and is for individuals who may not be ready to commit to a recovery program but need a safe place to stay.

“Having this low-barrier component, focusing on assessment and triage, and intentionally linking to more permanent housing resources will help people move to permanent housing more quickly,” Chamberlain said in a news release.

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Out of the Ashes offers a solution to homelessness and addiction that goes beyond just meeting basic needs. Its program is designed to provide holistic restoration for homeless and addicted men and women so they can become contributing members of society and maintain permanent housing.

“Rutherford County has no transitional housing for men and only one eight-bed facility for women in recovery,” said Jaqueline L. Godlock, a board member of Dogwood Health Trust and a business relations representative for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services that covers a four-county area including Rutherford and Polk counties.

ASHEVILLE HAS $10 MILLION PLAN TO HELP HOMELESS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET

“Dogwood’s funding for this project meets a great need in Rutherford and Polk counties by providing a low-barrier shelter option but also a dry shelter option and transitional housing paired with services to create a clear path to sobriety and self-sufficiency for our neighbors who are struggling with homelessness.”

A celebration for the organization is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, June 26.

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