Limitless Hope Emergerncy Shelter Hawkes Bay

Limitless Hope Emergency Shelter Hawkes Bay

Hawkes Bay needs an emergency shelter for the prevention of homelessness which has been a growing issue. Please help us make this dream a reality.

Limitless Hope have been feeding the homeless, needy and lonely each week for almost three years. We provide not only soup and buns but snack packs, fruit, baking, clothing and friendship.

We offer advocacy and strong networking services from our own home and have done so for the past two years working strongly with governmental agencies and many Hawkes Bay services. We work with families/men/ women from many different backgrounds on intervention and prevention strategies for families sleeping in cars, tents, garages and park benches.

We have to date managed to help get over 20 people off the streets of Napier. We are so very grateful for the many volunteers from all walks of life that believe in the vision of Limitless Hope.

ABOUT US

We (Kevin and Kiri Swannell) are the founders of Limitless Hope.

Kevin and I have six children. In the 23 years of being together, we have fought many battles - and believe we beat the odds that were stacked up against us.

Years ago we decided we wanted to fight for others, and see people not as they are but as they are meant to be. We wanted to break the belief that people can’t change! We started with us, then our family, then the community. The ones people give up on are the ones we will love “unconditionally” - this is why we do what we do.

The foundations of Limitless Hope are to:

Love people where they are at

Love them enough to encourage them to change

Give them hope where there isn’t any hope

Give them a hand up, but not a hand out

Sometimes people can change just like that, sometimes it can take years.

We worked with a gentleman who had been on the streets for many years - he never spoke to people as he had anxiety, he stuttered, and he never looked anyone in the eye - always looked at the ground. After a year of just loving him, he held his head high, laughed with us - he even started talking to media.

Last Christmas he came to the soup truck with a carefully wrapped black plastic bag with a ribbon tied in a bow. This was a gift he found outside a clothing bin the week before - he said he wanted to give it to us and carried it around with him for a week. Yes, he had us in tears! That gentleman is now living back with his family. We miss him as he is not in Hawkes Bay anymore, but we know he is “Home.”

This is just one of many success stories and amazing journeys we have been part of.

The purpose of the proposed emergency shelter is to prevent more people from growing accustomed to living on the streets. We have referrals for families at least once a week. If they are referred during business hours, we can work with other agencies to get them into temporary accommodation. If it is after hours, they have nowhere to go. We need this emergency night shelter urgently!

THE PROJECT

Limitless Hope are now in the process of becoming a Charitable Trust, building a strong team of trustees to accomplish our dream of expanding our current home-based operation and establishing a much-needed emergency shelter and advocacy service. The service will include a whole range of life skill programmes all under the one roof, and continue to network with other agencies and service providers.

We have been gifted a building from "Property Brokers" Hawkes Bay, but we are still in need of two main things:

1. Land between Hastings and Napier to relocate the building to

2. Finance to help with relocating the building

We have had an absolutely fantastic response so far, not only in Hawkes Bay but all around New Zealand. We have builders, plumbers, electricians, lawyers, accountants and many more specialists offer their services, time and labour to make this project successful. But we still need to raise $100,000 to make this happen.

We have been quoted between $70-80,000 for the removal of the building alone. We then have the additional costs of soil testing, council consents, putting the house back together, power etc.

Our local councils have said they will help as much as they are able… so here’s hoping.

OTHER FUNDRAISING SUPPORT

Hawkes Bay locals have also been fantastic helping with fundraising. Here is just a sample of some of the community support we’ve had so far:

A local school had a pj day to raise funds - $140 donated

Local business Sugar Queen Cakery did a charity run and raised $500, and are planning to do another in two weeks.

Alibeez Handmade Crafts donated a percentage of their profit last month - $150

Hastings Warehouse allowed us to do a BBQ - we made $1200 and were donated two big fruit bins of new and used clothing and blankets

We have been donated a signed All Blacks shirt which we are auctioning off on trademe, to bid please visit: http://www.trademe.co.nz/920500210

Local company Relocate Homes NZ has offered to move the property, however there is still huge costs to be covered.

Kevin will be finishing off our appeal by sleeping on the streets for 40hours to raise funds as well as awareness of what our clients endure daily.

There are many businesses and people who are working on other fundraisers. Personally, and as a community we are working day and night to make this happen!

PLEASE SUPPORT US!

This is an amazing opportunity to help change the lives of so many, but we can’t do it without the public's help. Whether you are near or far you can join Limitless Hope on this journey - every little bit will help.

This is an ‘all or nothing’ fundraising campaign which means if we don’t hit our target of $100,000 by 31 July, we won’t receive any of the pledges made so far. So please donate if you can, and share with your networks. Thank you!

Please follow us on Facebook so you can see what you are being a part of www.facebook.com/limitlesshope

Please feel free to contact Kiri Swannell on 0273019491 #peoplelovingpeople