In 2017, the same year Thad Gunderson was named the executive director of the Daniel Pitino Shelter, the local nonprofit was also announced as a recipient of $100,000 from the women of Impact 100.
The grant helped fund the shelter’s “Family Facility Refurbishing Project,” adding three new family bedrooms, a new family bathroom, a new game/study room, adult study room, a new roof and coming soon, a box truck for donations. Much of the renovations were family focused.
“At any given time there are 12-14 families at our shelter,” Gunderson said. “It could be a mother and her child or a couple with multiple children.”
In its previous capacity, the facility wasn’t as conducive to a family setting, which was a driving factor behind the renovations. Gunderson said the dormitory style bathrooms with stand-up showers were particularly difficult for families with small children.
“It’s not that big of a deal for most kids to have a bubble bath,” Gunderson said. “But for these kids — they may not have had the opportunity to take a bath in a tub in days or even weeks.”
As of last week, that family bathroom renovation was complete.
“It’s worked great. We just now opened it and I had two little kids come down the hall with their mom in their bathrobes and one had a little rubber ducky in hand and the other bubble bath soap.” Gunderson said. “It’s just really cool to see it come to fruition.”
While the bathroom renovations help families have a better experience at the shelter, case managers are on-site to teach life skills classes, equipping parents for long-term success.
“Families are such an important thing,” Gunderson said. “As much as possible, if we can keep the parents with their children, it makes a big difference for the kids emotionally, socially — it’s a big deal.”
The Pitino Shelter team has found if they can get both the mom and dad in the life skills classes, there is a better chance of those parents making good choices that will impact their kids for years down the road.
Gunderson said the women of Impact 100 provided more than financial support for this project.
“Those women have been so encouraging,” he said. “Not only did they give us $100,000 to do remodeling, there were so many of them that went out of their way to tour and give words of encouragement saying what a good job we were doing. They really went out of their way with encouragement.”
Gunderson, who has lived in several locations throughout his life, has called Owensboro home for almost three years. He said he has never seen that much money given out by individuals coming together to support nonprofits.
“That’s a serious chunk of money,” he said. “I’ve been pretty impressed by this community. It’s neat when people get involved and have a desire to see good things happen and to help people, one person at a time.”
In early summer of 2019, the shelter will be breaking ground on their next grant-funded project. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati in partnership with the Kentucky Housing Corporation through their Affordable Housing Program will afford the shelter an opportunity to build a 12-unit apartment complex across the street from the shelter. The Nicky Hayden apartments will provide “rapid re-housing” for individuals and families staying at the shelter.
“It’s a large project,” Gunderson said. “We hope the apartments we build will be a bridge for individuals to permanent housing in their future.”
The shelter, which serves over 100,000 meals each year, accepts donations year round. Coffee, creamer, sugar, plates, cups, and utensils are always appreciated by local individuals and groups looking to give back.
