Kingdom Builders Worldwide assumes operational control over Battle Creek Shelter
BATTLE CREEK — The Battle Creek Shelter Board of Directors has entered into a management services agreement with Kingdom Builders Worldwide, which assumed day-to-day operational control over the 3-year-old Battle Creek Shelter as of Jan. 1.
The BCS Board of Directors has been working on a transition plan for the facility since June 2023 as it took several steps to achieve independence as a nonprofit organization, reduce expenses and move out of the start-up phase that had been supported financially and operationally by the Battle Creek Community Foundation since the shelter opened in late 2020, officials explained in a Monday press release.
“The Battle Creek Shelter is pleased to continue serving Battle Creek’s most vulnerable unsheltered individuals in 2024 and we are incredibly grateful to the Battle Creek Community Foundation for its support and leadership over the past three years,” Todd McDonald, chair of the BCS Board of Directors, said in the release. “We also are pleased to move into this new phase of operations in partnership with Kingdom Builders Worldwide, which has been involved in the shelter since the early days.”
In its first three years of existence, the Battle Creek Shelter, 209 E. Michigan Ave., has provided a variety of services, including safe overnight housing, meals, clothing, showers, case management and supplies to hundreds of people. In 2023 alone, the shelter provided overnight shelter to 410 people — including 113 women and 39 military veterans — and served more than 19,000 meals.
Kingdom Builders, a church and community center based in Battle Creek, has provided food services at the shelter since 2021. As the contracted manager of operations, Kingdom Builders will provide on-site management, operational oversight, reporting and meals at the facility. Kingdom Builders will also provide regular communication to the BCS Board of Directors, an independent nonprofit organization that continues to govern and own the facility.
The shelter was launched during the Coronavirus pandemic as local leaders sought a solution for the unsheltered population. A group of individuals and organizations subsequently teamed up to create the Battle Creek Shelter to address the growing needs of adults without housing.
Working in partnership with more than 70 organizations since 2021, the shelter has connected its patrons to numerous resources, ranging from mental health treatment and addiction rehabilitation, to housing assistance and job training. In addition to the Battle Creek Community Foundation, key partners have included Summit Pointe, Bronson Battle Creek, City of Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Zanetti Foundation, State of Michigan, Battle Creek Police Department, Feldpausch Foundation and Haven of Rest Ministries.
The Battle Creek Shelter, open 24 hours a day year-round, operates as a low-barrier shelter, removing as many obstacles and admission requirements as possible for people to receive safe short-term shelter and find permanent housing. The shelter is currently in the process of upgrading its shower and restroom infrastructure to accommodate more patrons in 2024; construction is scheduled to be completed in February and expand the shelter’s capacity to 80 individuals, officials said.
The shelter is funded by a combination of short-term grants and donations, but it continues to seek support for long-term sustainability. Any individual or organization who wishes to support the shelter financially can learn more online at bchomelessshelter.com or send donations directly to the Battle Creek Shelter, 209 E. Michigan Ave., Battle Creek, MI, 49017.
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Kingdom Builders Worldwide assumes operational control over Battle Creek Shelter
