Restoring Hope

On the morning of January 18th, a gas explosion occurred next door to Calvary Women’s Services’ Good Hope transitional housing program, our largest program site. Thankfully, emergency personnel and Calvary staff ensured everyone was safely evacuated before the explosion and every woman living at this program has been able to move to another program site.   

Unfortunately, our building suffered extensive water and smoke damage. Windows were blown out. Doors were broken by the fire department. Hoses pushed water toward our building for hours causing significant flooding. Many women lost their possessions.  

Beyond the damage to our building, every woman in this program experienced a traumatic event and has been displaced from the space that she had grown to call home.  

As we process this tragic event alongside the women in our programs, we’ve been reminded of the strength of our community and feel a renewed sense of urgency for our mission. You, our supporters, are restoring our hope in all the ways you’ve already begun to show up for us.  Thank you for every donation, shared post, and message to our team. 

The repairs to our building will take time and we anticipate hundreds of thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses. Here are some of the repairs that are already underway:  

• We had to rip up the flooring in our basement and second-story.  
• We’ve cut out drywall in much of the building to prevent mold growth.  
• Several offices and our residents’ kitchen have been completely gutted.  
• Contractors have walked through the building to provide timelines for repairs and estimated costs. 

As the dust settles, the Calvary team is working hard to continue offering the health, education, and employment programs that women need to end their homelessness and prepare for independence.   

To empower women to achieve their goals during this crisis and beyond, we’ve officially launched the Restoring Hope campaign. With your contribution, we will restore our building, support our programs, and meet women’s needs as they work to rebuild their lives and end their homelessness for good.   

You can learn more about this crisis and donate to Restore Hope by clicking here.