In 2007, the City of Champaign Neighborhood Programs Manager approached local, downtown churches to solicit help in providing emergency overnight shelter to single, homeless women during the winter months. At that time, the City had no emergency shelter
available for single women. When First United Methodist was approached, the leadership did not hesitate to respond positively in answering the call. I am fortunate to be involved as Steering
Committee Member and Volunteer Coordinator for Austin’s Place:
An emergency shelter for homeless women.

During the initial season of Austin’s Place, from January 1, 2007 through April 15, 2008, working in partnership with the Council on Service Providers to the Homeless, Austin’s Place was able to provide emergency, overnight housing to six homeless women per night. 
During this time, we provided shelter for 166 women. The second
season of Austin’s Place, from January 2, 2008 through April 15,
2009, increased housing capability to eight women per evening,
and served 274 women throughout the season.

 As a Steering Committee, and a Church, we questioned our mission,
‘Are we needed?’  We looked at the hard numbers of women we were serving, and also considered that which can not be counted, that
which can not be qualified – are we contributing positively to the
quality of life of another human being?  Our Steering Committee and volunteer response was that we do feel that our mission is purpose-filled. But more, we received grateful responses from our women
guests who testified they had no alternate place to go. Therefore,
we plan to continue Austin’s Place a fourth season.

 

Austin’s Place is maintained solely through volunteer effort. Each evening and morning we have a volunteer driver, and two volunteers who stay all night at the Shelter. As well, volunteers do laundry, solicit and retrieve donations, help with advertising, pray, and spread the word through the community.  Our volunteers are the heart of this most needed service.  Volunteers are trained in the philosophy of homelessness, which includes participating in an activity to understand the emotional, psychological and social consequences of homelessness. Only those people with the utmost compassion and respect for the women we serve volunteer. This season, Austin’s Place had 88 such human beings that testify they are grateful for this opportunity to serve homeless women in need, an opportunity they would only find at First United Methodist Church.

The mission of Austin’s Place has been divinely blessed. First United Methodist Church has provided a most safe and comfortable shelter, allowing Austin’s Place use of utilities, water, storage, and van transportation. During our first season, our operating budget began with a humble $25.00 donation. Our Church and Steering Committee has been proactive in seeking funding, and has received grant support from The United Way. During our second season, as the result of prominent media coverage, and grassroots advertising efforts, we received monetary and in-kind donations to sustain services, which included feeding our women guests dinner each evening, and providing snacks and beverages, clean socks, toiletries, and bus tokens. Most incredibly, this season Austin’s Place was able to give a monetary donation to First United Methodist Church and our partners, The Center for Women in Transition and the TIMES Center, for their help in providing this service.

  Cathy Koerber, FUMC