The Dunedin Night Shelter Trust is starting 2016 on a firm footing and making plans to expand its services supporting the city's homeless.
It is a far cry from the situation at this time last year, when it was so short of funds it was in danger of having to close for a few weeks. It was saved by public donations.
Since then, a major public fundraising campaign, supported by The Star, raised $600,000 to enable the trust to buy the two buildings on its Lees St site in October.
The generosity and support of funding organisations, businesses and the public meant the campaign exceeded its target by about $20,000, allowing some leeway for repairs and maintenance.
"It's a great feeling to have a permanent home from which we can develop our services,'' Dunedin Night Shelter Trust chairman Dave Brown said.
The night shelter had experienced steady demand over the Christmas holiday period as well as ‘‘great generosity'' from the community, he said.
‘‘We are well known these days, which is an excellent position for us to be in.''
In recent months, the shelter has been able to offer greater support to people using the night shelter, by helping them to find ongoing accommodation, Mr Brown said.
‘‘With a pledge of financial support in place, we are also planning to establish a community-social work service to help people using the night shelter and Phoenix Lodge to move on with their lives."
It was also hoped to be able to establish an outreach service based at the night shelter, to follow up and provide support for people who might be having accommodation problems.
‘‘At this stage, we are in the very early stages of planning such a service - it is going to be our first project for the year,'' Mr Brown said.
‘‘Now that we are on a firm basis, the night shelter will hopefully evolve and continue to grow stronger. There is a lot of hardship out there, and a lot of people who need support.''
Spruced-up shelter
The Dunedin shelter is looking spruce and has a new outdoor shelter thanks to the efforts of volunteers from local community organisations.
Just before Christmas, about a dozen volunteers from Core Education and the Workplace Support chaplaincy service spent a busy day gardening and building.
The result is tidy gardens, mulched and planted, a new fence leading up to the front door, a new outdoor shelter, a picnic table and a freshly painted front door.
Mr Brown was delighted with the support from the two not-for-profit organisations.
‘‘They did a marvellous job, and it is just great for us to have that ongoing community support,'' he said.
Core Education curriculum support resources programme manager Jane Nicholls said the team had been keen to be involved in a community day and working with the night shelter was ideal.
‘‘It is a great organisation to give our support to, and we will be happy to continue our involvement in the future,'' she said.
Workplace Support Southern chief executive Wendy Lobb said the organisation had strong ties with Mr Brown, who was a member of its team, and by extension with the Dunedin Night Shelter Trust.
‘‘It was fantastic to be able to have a hands-on community day, and to serve the community in a practical way,'' Mrs Lobb said. ‘‘It is all about building communities.''
Mr Brown said the night shelter had been the recipient of many acts of kindness over the Christmas and New Year period, including many donations of festive food.
‘‘It was nice to be able to have a cook-up and for the people at the shelter and Phoenix Lodge to have something nice at Christmas.
"It is a good feeling to have people come out of the woodwork and offer us their support.''
