Lakewood of Strathmore announces donation commitment to Strathmore Overnight Shelter
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As part of the newly coined Lakewood Growth and Giving Initiative, Lakewood of Strathmore is announcing the Strathmore Overnight Shelter to be the donation recipient from the next phase of the community’s development.
Last year, Lakewood of Strathmore partnered with #NotInMyCity, donating $1,000 from each lot sale through their Phase 2A, totaling $46,000.
“Part of understanding the needs and our commitment to community is also being involved with them at the ground level. We have been working with the Strathmore Overnight Shelter for many years, helping in various ways, whether it is volunteering, digital aspects, or even supplying different community items, needs, and whatnot,” said Scott Silva, director of sales and marketing for Lakewood of Strathmore. “What really brought our attention to them this year is their need and demand for growth based on the growth of the town. Where these funds are actually proposed to go is obviously at the shelter’s discretion, but focusing on a renovation and a redevelopment of the current facility.”
Silva added this is tied in with other grants and fundraising the Strathmore Overnight Shelter is looking to receive.
In Phase 2B of Lakewood of Strathmore’s development, there are 76 lots available, and the team is once again committed to donating $1,000 per lot sold.
“It will make a huge impact because we are going to put a partial second story over the church sanctuary because it goes up really high, and it will open up space for a private office, for storage – people come in and there is nowhere for them to put their things – we just do not have that kind of space,” said Elizabeth Karp, executive director of the Strathmore Overnight Shelter. “It will open up where we can move things out of the current area, so we can open up our dining room a little bit more as well because we are pretty tight for space in that area too.”
Karp estimated the total cost of the renovation will be in the realm of $150,000, according to current cost estimates. She explained it would be something that would simply not be possible without the level of support being made possible by Lakewood of Strathmore.
As the available space for backend operations expands, so too would the shelter’s ability to take people in, rather than have people living out of their vehicles.
“It is cold and people are freezing – we could throw extra mats in the common area, so it will expand our ability to do that so nobody freezes to death out there,” said Karp. “It does not mean they will be staying there for any length of time, but during cold spells like that, it certainly relieves some pressure in every area. If we can throw some mats on the floor even, just to get people in, out of the cold temporarily while the weather is bad.”
Silva added he aims for Lakewood’s contribution to be a community growth and giving initiative as opposed to prioritizing sales.
More information about the initiative is being made available online through Lakewood of Strathmore.