2024 Projects 

St. Joseph Shelter Project
October 31 -- November 9, 2014 - in Mount Angel, OR


 
 
This was a large & fun project -- in a really cool location -- for a very worthy cause!  

St. Joseph Shelter is a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel.  The shelter was established in 1988 as the Sister' response to the unmet needs for food and housing in the community. Originally created to serve migrant and area farm workers, the shelter expanded its services to include homeless families. The shelter has served an average of 152 people a year in the family program and 148 single migrant/seasonal workers. The Migrant Shelter Program makes housing available to single men working in the agriculture industry.  There is housing available for up to 140 men at minimal cost.  The shelter provides over 23,000 shelter nights and 20,000 meals each year.

The main common area and kitchenette of the shelter had seen a LOT of use in the past 26 years, and was in desperate need of renovation.  The sisters who run the shelter acquired a grant to pay for materials, but needed volunteers to do the work...so they contacted us.  We looked over the project carefully, and concluded that this was a wonderful fit for our volunteers!  We led volunteer crews from Friday morning through Sunday afternoon for two consecutive weekends.  A total of 65 volunteers donated 400 man-hours to complete the job!

GENERAL TASK LIST:
  • Replaced flooring
  • Replaced wainscoting & trim 
  • Replaced 11 storage cabinets used by homeless families
  • Gutted & rebuilt kitchen, including 4 new circuits (thanks Kuenzi Electric!)
  • Cleaned & refastened light fixtures
  • Ceiling repairs
  • Miscellaneous repairs
PROJECT LEADERS:
Crew Chiefs: Shawn Mitchell, Doug Woodard, Rex Yetter
Project Advocates: Taft Mitchell, Linda Owen, Bruce & Bev Ecker, Shey Gladstone

PROJECT PARTNERS:
Republic Services - Donated waste bin & disposal
RB Fab Works 
Kuenzi Electric, based in Silverton
Plumbline Drywall