$25K Donation Means Seasonal Homeless Shelter can Operate Through End of April

The giant, ceremonial check represented a $25,000 donation from GE Healthcare’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging department on Monday, but to those affiliated with the donation means so much more.

The donation will allow theat the former West Suburban Christian Academy remain open through the end of the year. The shelter has been running since December and is currently at full capacity.

also means the shelter can take another step toward being a permanent location as a seasonal homeless shelter. 

“It allows us to continue the overflow shelter until the end of April 30 because we needed some additional funding,” said Hebron House of Hospitality Executive Director Bernie Juno. “It also will be some of the money toward the down payment for the purchase.”

Hebron House is looking to purchase the school, which was foreclosed upon last summer, to use as a service center, in addition to the shelter during the freezing Wisconsin winters.

In addition to Hebron House offices, other local organizations are looking to relocate to the building.  The Mental Health Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Addiction Resource Council, St. Joseph’s Medical and Dental Clinic and Interfaith Senior Programs are looking to relocate to the former school, Juno said. Other organizations also have expressed interest.

The project will not be complete without some remodeling.

“We will do one part that will always be kept for the overflow shelter, which will be just during the winter months,” Juno said. “The rest of the building will be renovated to meet the needs of all those agencies working together.”

The local GE Healthcare department was given the opportunity to make the $25,000 donation, so the employees looked at different organizations in Waukesha before deciding to donate to the homeless shelter.

“We looked at all sorts of opportunities and felt this was the best thing that we could do with the funds that were made available to us,” said Jim Davis, GE Healthcare vice president and general manager of Magnetic Resonance Imaging department. “We all live, work here in the community. We certainly know the impact that the economic downturn has had on places like the Hebron House and other charitable foundations.

“Your charitable (donations) have been lower given the high unemployment rate, so we thought this was the best thing that we could do to contribute back to the community.”