By Barb Arland-Fye
DAVENPORT — The Congregation of the Humility of Mary hopes to raise $250,000 in the next year to ensure continued operation of Humility of Mary Shelter Inc. (HMSI), and is pledging $100,000 toward the effort. The CHM Sisters will match dollar for dollar the first $100,000 raised by the Quad-City community, the Sisters announced April 3.
Nearly 1,000 adults ranging in age from 18 to 81 and experiencing temporary or chronic homelessness turned to the emergency shelter during the fiscal year that ended June 30. These individuals struggle with one or more challenges such as mental illness, addictions, unemployment, physical disabilities, trauma or abuse. The shelter, located at 1016 W. Fifth St. in Davenport, offers them an opportunity to become emotionally, mentally and physically more stable.
But the shelter requires sustained financial support from the community of $250,000 to $300,000 annually. For Fiscal Year 2011-12, the shelter’s income totaled $1,410,277.88 while expenses totaled $1,471,529.68, resulting in a deficit of $61,251.80.
During that same fiscal year the shelter received 65 percent of its funding from government grants, 11 percent from private grants, 20 percent from gifts and four percent from rents, Director Sandy Walters said.
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