In the spirit of the holidays, the Zonta Club of Jamestown, New York, and Greater Jamestown AM Rotary Club made generous donations to the Hope Haven Women’s Shelter being developed by Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. (COI). The donated funds of $5,238 from the Zonta Club and $5,125 from the Rotary Club will help pay for furniture and equipment to get the shelter up and running. The new shelter for homeless women will be managed by COI and will serve up to 18 women at a time, with assistance provided to help them transition from homelessness to permanent housing.
According to Mary Rappole, a member of the Zonta Club’s service committee, the donation falls in line with the club’s mission, “Zonta International’s mission is ‘Build a Better World for Women and Girls’. Our Jamestown chapter joined with the AM Rotary Club to make an impact, supporting the needs of the women in our community. Our members realize it is a privilege to be part of the solution. “
The two clubs worked together to communicate the needs to their members and raise funds for the furniture and equipment. According to Sarah Gilbert, the President of the Greater Jamestown AM Rotary Club, “We are thrilled to work with Zonta to fund a significant portion of the furnishings for the new women’s shelter.”
The shelter, located at 303 Lafayette Street in Jamestown, will offer a safe and supportive environment for women experiencing homelessness. Staff will be onsite 24/7 to assist guests and coordinate with other human services organizations. The facility was recently renovated with state and local funding and is preparing to open soon.
According to COI’s CEO, Diane Hewitt-Johnson, the donations provide critical support. “COI is extremely grateful for the generous donations received from both the AM Rotary and the Zonta Clubs. Their contributions have helped to furnish the women’s center, which is imperative to the success of the services we will be providing. We are forever grateful to those individuals who donated, as well as to Mary Rappole and Sarah Gilbert, who coordinated the donations.”
Additional donations of hygiene and other items may be made through a registry at amazon.com/registry by searching Chautauqua Opportunities.