The Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness officially launched its iPledge building campaign today.
The aim is to raise $1 million to buy the building before the lease agreement ends in December 2022.
Chief executive officer Kemar Saffrey said their work was too important to end and he did not think any new owner of the building would continue the shelter. He also said there were no other suitable buildings in The City.
The campaign requires 2 000 people to pledge $500. Saffrey suggested this can be done in $100 installments or families and organisations can band together to donate the money. Saffrey said that $15 000 has been raised as people began donating after hearing about the pledge unofficially.
“We believe this campaign will succeed because we know Barbados is a giving nation. But should it fail, it would likely mean the end of the shelter and I don’t know where we would find another building like this.
“We’ve already invested around $400 000 to bring this shelter to where it is today, if it ceases to exist, there will be nowhere for the homeless to turn to for help,” he said. (CA)
