Happy New Year!

A new year and a new decade - 2010 - we're already off to a wonderful start. In case you have missed this news lately, here's a few highlights:

• The Critical Need Response Fund has been relaunched by the Foundation for the Carolinas and the Leon Levine Foundation. The Men's Shelter was one of three initial recipients and was awarded $150,000!
• The Community Catalyst Fund, managed by the Foundation for the Carolinas, has made its first grant awards and MSC is receiving the largest grant in this first round - $200,000.
• It's been terribly cold lately, yet MSC remains strong in our commitment to ensure every homeless man seeking shelter has a place to stay with us - we've already surpassed the 500 mark for number of men sheltered on one night.

What does all of this mean? The funding is making our merger transition easier and helping us prepare to implement our 500 Bed Plan. We're already getting lots of practice at safely and effectively sheltering large numbers of homeless men. This is building the foundation for our Homeless Transition Center, which we plan to open by 2015. Want to know more about our 500 Bed Plan? Visit our website: www.MensShelterofCharlotte.org and check out our home page.

Happy New Year and many thanks to all who have supported the MSC this past holiday season, over the years, and into the new decade. We can only remain successful in our mission to Help Homeless Men with full support of our community.