This week, the community showed incredible support for the Van, a Little Rock organization that assists people who are experiencing homelessness, by donating more than $50,000 overnight to help fund a winter weather emergency shelter.
The Van issued a call for donations on social media Dec. 3, after funding fell through for the shelter. At that point, the organization had raised nearly $22,000 of the $28,000 needed for a 20 percent down payment on the building.
“We are looking for a lender asap or a miraculous move of a caring humanitarian philanthropist’s heart tonight to help us just pay cash and never have to worry if there will be a space when needed the most or not,” the post reads.
At about 9 a.m. the next morning, the organization posted that the funds had surpassed $70,000, and donations were still rolling in. That evening, the Van posted an update that it had raised nearly $85,700 in 24 hours.
The organization is still accepting donations in hopes of paying cash for the structure.
According to the Dec. 3 post, the organization hopes to secure an 8,000- to 10,000-square-foot building that will be used as an inclement winter weather emergency shelter and a year-round thrift store, as well as a food processing facility for the organization’s urban farm, Back 5 Fields in North Little Rock, during the spring and summer months.
The Van visits homeless camps, searches for new camps and seeks out homeless people to provide them with food, water, clothing and hygiene products where they are. The organization relies on volunteers to collect, sort and distribute donations.
According to its website, the organization works to build relationships with people who are homeless in order to identify barriers to income and housing and help people move forward.
The Van is part of the One, which helped found the Russ Buss in Russellville and the Mission Machine in Searcy.
To donate to the Van, click here. Watch a message from Aaron Reddin, Founder & Executive Director below.
