Cove House holds annual fundraising banquet on Saturday

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

Supporters of Cove House Emergency Homeless Shelter gathered on Saturday night for its annual fundraising banquet to hear about the shelter’s vision for the future, and also to hear from former shelter residents about the impact it has had on their lives. 

Brian Hawkins, Cove House’s executive director, talked about the shelter’s initiatives that include the emergency shelter and its free clinic. 

The free clinic has continued to expand its services to the community over the past year, with the addition of cardiac care, mental health, and STD testing.  

Hawkins acknowledged AdventHealth’s providing the building the free clinic uses rent-free, as well as the multiple medical services it provides to include laboratory testing, x-rays, and more for clinic patients. This year, the clinic is on track to see 2,200 patients. 

Hawkins also said that in early 2020, the shelter is looking ahead to a multi-phase expansion that will quadruple the space as well as the number of people it will be able to help. 

“We’re not asking you to help them be better homeless people. We’re asking you to help them not be homeless,” Hawkins said. “You’re helping real people make real changes in their lives.” 

He announced that Cove House will be starting an expansion project in 2020, to begin fundraising approximately $270,000 to construct a six-plex on the property where two of its buildings are now currently. The project will be undertaken by both the shelter along with the local Habitat For Humanity. This is the first phase of an expansion project that also includes the construction of another new building on the property that would include a men’s and women’s dorm. 

Hawkins said that while donations of supplies for the shelter are appreciated, one of the issues is storing donated items. He added that the shelter will put out the call on its Facebook page for items it needs. He said, however, that financial donations are always appreciated, particularly as they will be entering the building project, which is two times the shelter’s annual operating budget.

One of the speakers on Saturday evening was John, a former shelter resident from February through April of this year. Hawkins said that while nearly all the families in the shelter are single mothers, John is a single father. 

John told the crowd that in August 2018 he’d had a falling out with his stepfather and ended up incarcerated and his son went into foster care. John also lost his job, vehicle, and home. 

When leaving jail in February, John came out with only the clothes on his back.

“Prior to this, I had money, had job, it all went to zero flat.” 

He had no family in this area and entered Cove House with the mission, saving every penny as he mowed lawns and moved furniture. 

John gave Cove House and its staff and volunteers thanks for helping him with bus passes to job interviews, and regaining access to his bank account. Through his efforts and the support of Cove House, he left the shelter on April 20 for his own place, and his son came back to live with him. 

“I couldn’t have done it without Cove House,” he said. 

Also on Saturday evening, Cove House received a check for $2,000 from National United Bank, and held both silent and live auctions. 

Cove House is overseen by a board of directors, consisting of Kevin Keller, Kissa Vaughn, Rita Hogan, Pat Thomas, Bob Crouch, and Clarence Enochs, and assisted by multiple volunteers in the community.