FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2018

CAC Celebrates the Completion of its $4.85 Million Gift of Grace Campaign

Walla Walla, Wash.—The Christian Aid Center (CAC) has reached its $4.85 million goal for the Gift of Grace campaign to build a center for homeless women and children. The new facility is currently under construction and slated to open its doors this June.

Taking less than two years, this campaign owes its success to the investments of many individuals, foundations—including the highly regarded M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust—, businesses, local service clubs and organizations, and CAC’s seed money saved toward this new building.

“We are so grateful to the Walla Walla community and each of the campaign donors for their tremendous vote of confidence toward the CAC’s approach to helping homeless women and children,” says Jason Wicklund, CAC executive director. “This is our first capital campaign and, as far as we know, the largest privately funded goal for a non-profit in our valley.”

The new facility will provide increased shelter capacity to meet demand, and create an environment for more effective programming. Beyond providing emergency shelter and meeting basic needs, the ultimate goal of the CAC is to help guests change their lives and end the vicious cycle of homelessness.

“This capital campaign was never just about a new building. At its heart, it has always been about working together in our community to help those in need; and getting people out of homelessness for good,” says Corina Car, one of the staff members planning the campaign.

Homeless women with children in Walla Walla have limited options for shelter. Even though, the Christian Aid Center has never turned away a man due to lack of space. On a typical week, an average of eight women are turned away, not counting their children.

“This is an exciting time in the history of the CAC. I offer my congratulations and thanks to everyone who played a part in bringing this successful capital campaign to completion, for the benefit of homeless women and children,” said LeAnn Tupper, chair of the Board of Trustees.

In addition to the lack of space, the dilapidated state of the former CAC facilities for women and children presented other challenges such as expensive maintenance, limited accessibility, and insufficient security and safety. 

The new building will offer a safe, supportive space for guests to take steps out of homelessness. The 17,000 square-foot facility will house 16 flexible living-units, a dining room, classrooms, living rooms, a childcare center, and administrative offices. It will replace structures across the street from the main building on W. Birch Street.

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Press Kit:

For a complete press kit, which includes digital files, please go to christianaidcenter.org/gogpresskit.

About the Christian Aid Center:

With more than 70 years of rescuing and restoring lives in the Walla Walla Valley, the Christian Aid Center—Walla Walla Rescue Mission (CAC) is one of the first places that hurting individuals seek when in time of need and despair. In 1946, CAC started as a soup kitchen and chapel for men, and in time evolved into a homeless shelter.

Today, while we still address the same basic needs of sheltering and feeding needy men, women and children; we also offer the opportunity for real-life change through long-term programming. 

Last year, 341 individuals stayed in our shelter for a total of 11,306 bed nights. We also provided breakfast and dinner daily for anyone in our community who was hungry—resulting in more than 37,000 meals served.

Contact:

Corina Car
Marketing and Donor Relations

CHRISTIAN AID CENTER
Walla Walla Rescue Mission
202 W Birch Street
PO Box 56
Walla Walla WA 99362

Office: 509-525- 7153
Cell: 509-301- 1578