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BERRIEN COUNTY — An area nonprofit organization is raising funds to ensure Berrien County residents have a safe, warm home for the holidays.

This week, Emergency Shelter Services, 185 E. Main St. Suite 103, Benton Harbor, launched its Home For The Holidays fundraising campaign. The campaign, which lasts through the month of December, aims to raise $100,000 to address housing insecurity in Berrien County.

ESS operates Berrien County’s only women and family homeless shelter. According to ESS executive director Reshella Hawkins, ESS has taken more than 1,300 calls this year, a substantial increase.

The building that houses the shelter, located at 645 Pipestone Street, Benton Harbor, was donated to ESS by the J.N. Klock family in 1979. In 2008, ESS officially became Berrien County’s Housing Assessment and Resource Agency. 

Hawkins, along with members of her management team, created the Home For The Holidays fundraiser in collaboration with Pastor Maurice McAfee of New Bethel Baptist Church in Benton Harbor. The church has donated $1,000 toward the campaign.

“Surrounding shelters are at capacity,” Hawkins said. “Pastor McAfee reached out to me wanting to help push this campaign because we have an issue. It is going to get worse the colder it gets.” 

In addition to offering its 28-bed facility where women and families receive support to move into stable housing, ESS implements and manages strategic programs to prevent homelessness for women and families in Berrien County while also providing support and resources to help community members become self-sufficient.

Community outreach has long been important to McAfee and his congregation. According to Hawkins, three other local churches are supporting the fundraiser.

“Our church was ready to come on board,” McAfee said. “We believe in Matthew 25. We want to get this fundraiser out to the public. Want people to share in this blessing of caring for all ages, denominations and all color barriers. We want Berrien County to give. Our elderly are suffering due to an increase in rent and food. So many community members are forced to choose between utilities, medicine and food.”

ESS works with agencies around the county, including the Ferry Street Resource Center, 620 Ferry St., Niles, the City of Niles and the Southwest Michigan Communication Action Agency.

To meet its goal, ESS is calling on community members, churches, agencies and organizations to help it reach its goal.

“If we had people, churches and agencies just come together and give $1,000, we believe we can do that,” Hawkins said. “We will take whatever anyone is blessed to give.”

Readers looking to donate can do so on Emergency Shelter Services’ Facebook page, online at essberrien.org/donate, or by check made out to Emergency Shelter Services, Inc. mailed to 645 Pipestone St. Benton Harbor, MI 49022.

“This is a call to action for local pastors, companies, businesses,” McAfee said. “This is a collective fundraiser for the whole county. It is very much needed.”