Washington County, OH –For our local homeless population, snow days and freezing temperatures are often cause for concern rather than excitement. But, as the temperatures have been dropping, local philanthropy has been heating up.

Thanks to a donation from the Jerry & Jennylou Brock Fund for the Homeless, Hungry, & Needy, a fund at Marietta Community Foundation, The Salvation Army has been able to give 23 people respite from the frigid weather through their SleepSAfe Program.

“The whole idea of the fund is to help the homeless where we can,” said Jerry Brock. “My wife and I are passionate about helping those who are less fortunate!”

During the coldest days of the year, SleepSAfe offers individuals, and families, safe and warm shelter by purchasing hotel and meal vouchers for multiple days. While staying at the hotel, the recipients of these vouchers are able to enjoy a comfortable room and multiple amenities while avoiding the harsh temperatures outside.

“This donation means that people can spend the night indoors, instead of worrying if they would survive outside in the cold,” said Salvation Army’s Lt. Megan Moretz. “It means they can get a shower and a warm meal. It means they have a place to charge their phones and make phone calls, in an effort to find a long-term solution. A donation to the SleepSAfe project makes an enormous difference in the lives of those without shelter in the wintertime.”

The donation from the Brock Fund has helped sustain the program through February, but due to the string of winter storms funds are being depleted. However, the generosity of the Washington County community, including the Brocks, has served as an encouragement to Moretz.

“It makes me so incredibly grateful for the people who give to this project, because they are willing to consider others’ needs,” said Moretz. “This year, we had unanticipated expenses with the SleepSAfe project, meaning that we needed extra funding to continue it through the coldest nights. Simply put, this would not be possible without help from the community.”

Marietta Community Foundation meets National Standards for operational quality, donor service, and accountability in the community foundation sector. Founded in 1974, the Marietta Community Foundation has grown over the years thanks to a number of generous gifts.

Marietta Community Foundation works to improve Washington County through grants and initiatives. If you would like to donate to the Jerry & Jennylou Brock Fund for the Homeless, Hungry, & Needy, please visit www.mcfohio.org/donate. For those who wish to speak to an individual, please contact Heather Allender at 740-373-3286 or heather@mcfohio.org.