ThisWeek CW 6-4-2015
http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/06/01/land-donation-pushes-up-start-of-project.html
United Church Homes has offered Canal Winchester Human Services two acres near David’s Way just off Main Street near Hanner’s Park as a site for a new 5,000-square-foot warehouse facility.
“We expect groundbreaking in late summer and hope we could be moving in sometime early 2016,” Human Services Administrator Penny Miller said. “The engineering study is currently in process and the architect is working on the drawings.”
She said the organization hopes to submit information to the Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission for review in July.
“For nearly 57 years, all our efforts were coordinated over the kitchen counters and dining room tables of our board members and volunteers,” she said. “Since acquiring the food pantry in 2012, we’ve rented warehouse space.
“While local churches have been very helpful with rent monies, spending more than $18,000 each year is not effective for our long-term sustainability and the current space isn’t large enough to accommodate other programs beyond the pantry.”
Currently, Human Services runs the food pantry and maintains some offices in rented space at 360 W. Waterloo St. Additional services operate out of the Frances Steube Community Center and some “ad-hoc spaces” are used as well, according to Miller.
“Inventory for seasonal projects, such as Tools for Schools and Adopt-A-Family, must be stored in other facilities,” she said. “The vehicles used for the Senior Transportation Program must be parked off-site and there is no space where staff can provide even simple maintenance.”
Human Services is still seeking donations for the project, but has raised $200,000 in contributions and financial commitments through its One Square Foot capital campaign, which kicked off in January 2014.
Miller said the total project cost is estimated at $300,000 to $350,000 “so we need to raise another $100,000 in contributions and donations.”
She said all donations of $50 or more will be permanently acknowledged.
“We encourage contributors to use this opportunity to honor someone they love, remember someone they miss, or to leave their own legacy,” Miller said. “Donating to One Square Foot will provide an opportunity for permanent acknowledgement in whatever way the donor chooses.
“Everything that Human Services does, every service that is provided, has always been possible only because of contributions and financial donations provided by the community,” she said. “Our success is directly connected to those that believe in what we do.
“The services we provide will continue to be needed,” Miller said. “We have always been efficient with the contributions received and a thoughtful care-taker of the funds entrusted to us.”
Online donations can be made at cwhumanservices.org or through the organization’s Facebook page atCWHumanServices. Checks can be mailed to Canal Winchester Human Services, 22 S. Trine St., Canal Winchester, Ohio, 43110.
Additional information is available by calling Miller at 614-834-3888 or emailing her atpenny.cwhs@gmail.com.