Impact Ministries, a church in Boonville, Indiana, announced an ambitious goal to raise one million dollars in 2026 to build a homeless shelter in Warrick County, which currently has no shelter at all despite the clear need. Pastor Brad Shuck explained that the church has already been providing shelter and help for homeless people in the community with a makeshift warming center during winter and a 15 day program for anyone who enters the church’s door in need of assistance. During that program, the church works with people to help them find jobs and start earning income, and once they reach that milestone they can stay at the church and save money so they can find a permanent home of their own. In just one year, the church has been able to take 24 people who were living on the streets and get them into homes, proving that their approach works and that the community supports this mission.
The fundraising campaign asks 2,000 congregants and supporters to give 500 dollars each to make the homeless shelter a reality, with Shuck and his wife pledging to be the first donors. Although the one million dollar goal seems out of reach, Shuck is firm in his belief that it can be raised by the community because they’ve already seen what can be done through generosity. Once built, the shelter will not just provide beds but will also offer mental health support, life coaching services, job coaching, and day to day assistance for people facing poverty and homelessness. The church’s efforts reflect a growing trend of churches across America using their properties and congregations to confront the housing crisis by stepping in to bridge gaps in services that local and federal governments cannot or will not fill.
