May 30, 2001
Non-Dinner far from non-event
Fund-raiser will benefit regional Goodwill Inn Homeless Shelter
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
With a mission of giving a hand up, not a hand out, the Goodwill Inn Homeless Shelter struggles to support a growing community of homeless in northern Michigan. Whether summering in tents or staying with a rotation of friends or family members, families, singles and teens in this community who do not have a home need help.
An upcoming fund-raiser on Saturday, June 2, gives community members a way to contribute to the Goodwill Inn Homeless Shelter and the people it serves.
The first ever Fundraising Non-Dinner asks donors to skip the fancy dress, gourmet meal, auctions and entertainment that are standard fare at fund-raisers. Instead, organizers of the Non-Dinner ask that you stay in your own home, enjoy a meal with your family and make a donation to the Goodwill Inn Homeless Shelter. Staying home one night will help those who do not have a home themselves.
"The homelessness issue is a significant issue in northwest Michigan," said Tom Feurig, executive director of Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan. "This is truly a chance to say to people that there may be a lot of functions that are worthwhile to help people out but with this one it is not necessary to go out to dinner and tie up their time. It is meant to be unique."
The Non-Dinner is part of an annual appeal held every May and June to secure donations of money, goods or services, household or personal items and volunteer time. All contributions go a long way to helping the 318 individuals who came to the Inn for help last year, finding not only a safe place to stay but also a variety of services, such as vocational training and job search assistance.
The Goodwill Inn opened in 1979 and serves five counties: Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Kalkaska and Antrim. A former hotel, it includes 44 beds in a mix of dorm-style rooms lined with bunk beds and family rooms. The Inn houses an average of 48 people per night, more than its capacity. The average length of stay ranges from 30-45 days, with 45 days being the maximum allowable stay.
Thirty-five percent of the Inn's residents last year were families, including 62 children. This is the highest number of children served in the Inn's history and more middle and high school aged children are staying there than ever before.
"We have waiting lists in the family rooms," said Cindy Witkowski, volunteer coordinator and child advocate for the shelter. "We could double our size immediately and within in the next two to three years we hope to do that and not turn away people who need us."
Many roads lead to homelessness, Witkowski said. From poor financial decisions to drug and alcohol abuse to a home fire or car accident, the stories behind the homeless are varied. Sometimes the loss of a job starts a downward spiral that a family living from paycheck to paycheck cannot stop.
"Some come from a big city where plants have closed down and they've lost their homes," Witkowski said.
Homelessness is a problem in summer and winter, with the tourist season driving up already high rental costs. Fall brings in families who have been camping all summer, looking for a place to settle and get the children into school.
Witkowski noted that even Christmas is a crisis time for many people.
"We have no room here at Christmas, we give out blankets and people stay in their cars if they were fortunate enough to have one," Witkowski said. "Working here makes us thank God for what we have, appreciate the little things we take for granted that others don't have."
To make a donation or for more information on the Fundraising Non-Dinner, call Witkowski at 922-4890.