Unity Shelter is a new corporation that just recently received it’s 501(c)3 not-for-profit status (est. January 2020). The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis was previously the temporary fiscal agent while Unity Shelter was waiting for independent non-profit status. Unity shelter has a very specific mission to help provide housing for those in our community who have none. While new, our leadership, the need, programs, volunteers, services & friends are not new at all to our area.
For decades, local religious institutions and volunteers have been providing the leadership, financial and operational support needed to run existing programs like the Mens Shelter, Room at the Inn & SafePlace. As the needs for affordable and transitional housing grew, it became clear that we needed to bring these disparate programs together into one organization to provide consistent leadership, leverage existing resources, expand/broaden fundraising efforts, raise awareness, share best practices and more.
Jill McAllister, Unity Shelter President, led an effort to create a board to co-found this umbrella organization. We hope to expand desperately needed shelter options for those who do not have a safe place to call home. We believe we can achieve this goal by collaborating with government, business, health and religious institutions throughout our community.