Valley Restart Shelter is making great strides in helping homeless families get back on their feet and keep their children in school. Executive Director Javier H. Lopez credits donors and partners throughout the city and county, as well as the staff and volunteers who work at the center.
The nonprofit is currently looking for supporters to “Adopt a room, Change a Life” to help them continue their work for local families. Aside from the recent construction of its pallet houses, VRS buildings were constructed in the 1940s and 1950s to house farm workers and later were used by the local YMCA branch.
Needless to say, the rooms have had their share of wear and tear throughout the years and are in much need of some TLC, including new flooring, paint, furniture and beds. Lopez is hoping to see generous supporters adopt a room and renovate it to provide a comfortable experience to the homeless families who live at the shelter as they are assisted in locating permanent housing.
Those who adopt a room will be recognized with a name plaque outside the room they adopted, a brick with their name, and a story on the VRS website, in their newsletter and on social media.
“We have 12 family rooms and four larger dormitories that we use for single women; all of them need renovation,” Lopez said. “All are in need of new paint and seven also need flooring (tile).”
The family rooms are approximately 20-ft. by 20-ft. and the dormitories are 16-ft. by 20-ft. It will take about $5,000 per room to completely renovate them. Lopez said each room would require new paint (semi-gloss for easy cleaning), beds, nightstands, lamps, etc.
“We are always seeking donations of any kind,” he said. “Many times, we provide household items to residents when they move out into their own apartment/home. We can also use pillows, covers, sheets, blankets, towels, etc.”
He said volunteer assistance is also welcome. “As families exit, we can use help in preparing the rooms for the next families, removing trash, doing some yard work, paint touch ups, and a host of other things for all skill levels,” Lopez said.
Although the shelter is currently full, Lopez said a room can be set aside when a donor comes forth. “Being that we are a short-term placement of 30 to 90 days, families move in and out almost weekly,” he said.
With its mission to focus on those individuals that want to help themselves and restart their lives, VRS provides resources and connections that can help them do just that. They believe in offering “a hand up, not a handout” to families and individuals who find themselves unhoused, due to individual circumstances, and provide them with shelter, food and clothing.
To help with back-to-school expenses for the families it serves, VRS also has a school supply list of items that are needed and can be dropped off at the office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 200 E. Menlo Ave. in Hemet. Along with the usual supplies of pencils, rulers, crayons, markers and notebooks, new T-shirts, shorts, pants and shoes are welcome as well as gift cards to Staples, Target and other local retailers.
Lopez can be reached at the VRS office at 951-766-7476 or by cell phone at 760-501-1462 to schedule a tour of the rooms and the facility. For more information, www.valleyrestartshelter.org.
