Good Samaritan House Homeless Shelter

Christian Shelter for the Homeless was founded as a ministry dedicated to serving the homeless by being Christ's liaison- reaching out to people where they are, extending God's love in practical ways through the improvements of physical, mental, emotional, and financial needs, as well as promoting self-efficiency beyond these basic human needs by addressing social, moral, and educational conditions of persons who temporarily reside in our home place.

FAQ
How long can people stay at the Shelter? The Christian Shelter does not currently put a time limit on how long individuals or families stay. On average, an individual will stay 2-3 months; a family will stay 3-4 months. People arrive at the Shelter with a variety of needs so the number and intensity of services provided are specific to their issues.
Are the people who stay at the Shelter just from Laurel County? No. However, the majority of our Residents are from here, or from the surrounding counties. The closest shelters that provide services similar to us are located in Williamsburg and Lexington. Here are some statistics from the recent Point In Time Count: on January 28, 2010, our census showed 29 adults and 8 children. Of the 29 adults, 42% were from Laurel County and 37% were from adjoining counties. Two Residents came from Tennessee and 4 came from other States.
What are the requirements for admission to the Shelter? The Shelter can house 20 single men, 6 single women, and 7 families. Every adult must get a warrant check from the London City Police. This warrant check is to ensure that the potential Resident is not using the Shelter to hide from the police. In addition, every adult is checked on the National Sex Offender Registry. While we realize that we are all God's children and that second chances are critical to everyone's success, we simply are not equipped to handle sex offenders. Couples staying in the family apartments must show proof of marriage. School-age children must be registered in the local school system or provide state-approved documentation for home-schooling.
Is the Shelter safe? The Shelter has been open for over two years. In that time we have had no serious incidents regarding the safety of our residents, staff, or the community, and certainly it is our goal to maintain this track record if at all possible. We have a lot of rules at the Shelter, which brings us to...
What kind of rules does the Shelter have? We have rules for just about everything! Our Residents all have assigned chores and are expected to perform them without complaint. Since we through the community's generous donations provide for all of our resident's needs, they are not permitted to panhandle or approach community members for assistance. The Shelter performs random drug screens and the City Police are always available when a breathalyzer is needed. Smoking is only permitted at certain times of the day and men and women have different schedules. In general, less than major rule infractions are handled with a write-up system: three strikes and you're out. Drug/alcohol use; possession of a weapon; violence or the threat of violence; criminal activity; are all causes for immediate dismissal from the Shelter.
What type of funding does the Shelter receive? Financially, the Shelter runs almost entirely on private donations from churches, individuals, and community organizations. From time to time, we also receive small grants from local business entities and from local and regional foundations. These grants are always for specific projects such as our commercial stove, high-efficiency washer and dryers, and new furniture for the dining room.
How are financial donations utilized? Money pays the bills: electric, water, insurance, phone, three full-time and two part-time staff. Unlike many similar organizations, our administrative costs are currently very low, ensuring more of your contributions go directly toward resident care versus being spent on staffing, travel, bonuses, etc. Donations are what keeps our mission and our residents going.
Did you know? The Shelter has a full-time kitchen manager, volunteer coordinator, administrative assistant, and two part-time case managers? By the way, they are all 100% volunteer. This doesn't include the many volunteers that come and go on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis that help in the kitchen, the office, or sorting clothing donations.
Did you also know? The Shelter's food bill is less than $100 a month for approximately 4,200 meals each month? That's because local individuals, churches, and businesses help by preparing and serving meals; donating bread, cakes, and produce; dropping off coffee and creamer that we go through so much of!
What can I do to help? For financial donations in support of our ministry, click the donate now button on our website. To volunteer your time, call the Shelter at 606.330.0785 and ask for the date of our next volunteer orientation. You may also call to schedule a date to provide a meal, bring your choir for a sing-a-long, or to conduct a Bible study. We also love to visit other organizations, so if you'd like us to speak or host a program, we'd love to be invited! We're always open to new faces and new ideas! We hope to see or speak with you soon!