PHILANTHROPY AND PARTNERSHIP CREATE NEW SHELTER FOR WOMEN IN CRISIS
Yesterday, Manatee County marked the opening of Under One Roof Gateway South today with a ribbon cutting and community open house. The new shelter will provide women experiencing addiction, homelessness, and trauma with safe housing and access to the recovery support they need.
The shelter, located at 407 57th Avenue East in a building once used by the Sheriff’s Office, has been extensively renovated to hold beds for up to 40 women along with meeting rooms for counseling, case management, and recovery services. Helping Up Mission, a nonprofit with experience creating similar centers in Baltimore, will manage daily operations.
“Under One Roof represents what is best about this community,” said Veronica Thames, CEO of Manatee Community Foundation (MCF). “When donors, public leaders, and service providers join forces, we create solutions that change lives. This shelter will give women a chance to catch their breath and start again.”
Philanthropy played a decisive role in the transformation. Donors joined with county funding from the opioid settlement and HUD’s HOME-ARP program to complete the project. The Mosaic Company served as the lead funder for the new kitchen at Under One Roof, seeding the Housing Empowerment Fund at MCF with a $350,000 investment. This fund, created to strengthen housing solutions across the county, will also allow other donors to contribute to the overall success of the initiative. Private giving also sustains the partner agencies that will support women at the shelter, including Turning Points, Centerstone, the Salvation Army, and Fresh Start Manatee. Each avenue of support reflects the power of philanthropy to launch ideas and expand services that address complex community needs.
District 2 Commissioner Amanda Ballard championed the project and has long advocated for more resources for women. She recalls working with families who lacked stable housing or struggled with addiction and mental health.
“So many of them had to travel around to access services,” Ballard said. “Now they can find shelter and help in one place.”
Inside the facility, visitors will see a colorful mural titled Resiliency, which art students from Lee Middle School designed and painted. They created the piece to offer encouragement and joy to women as they begin the difficult work of recovery.
Guests attending yesterday’s open house had an opportunity to tour the shelter and meet with local leaders and service providers. The event also highlighted the many hands that shaped this project, every government partner, service provider, corporate partner, and donor whose generosity fuels long-term solutions.
Philanthropy turned an aging building into a place of renewal. Continued generosity will ensure that organizations serving women and families remain strong enough to meet the needs of tomorrow.
For information about how to support this or other projects that expand hope and opportunity in Manatee County, visit www.manateecf.org/donate.
Commissioner Ballard and County and Community Leaders at Under One Roof Ribbon Cutting