Staff and volunteers at Grace Campus say that 2015 was a “big year” for them. It was the year that the non-profit, Paul’s Project, took over Tent City and created “Grace Campus,” in a continued vision to restore hope and a renewed sense of purpose in the lives of Lubbock’s homeless.

Next Tuesday, April 12, they are inviting the community to McPherson Cellars for their Inaugural Fundraising Social. The event will include tasty food, fellowship, live music by Michael Richards and a silent auction. McPherson wines will be available for purchase. While there is no charge, they are asking for donations at the door. 

In the last eight months, Paul’s Project has been able to add more insulation and seal up holes within the indoor facilities at Grace Campus, install security cameras, purchase more tables and other furniture, add more port a-potties around the campus area and much more. The non-profit does not receive any federal funding. Instead, they rely solely on fundraising efforts and working with churches and partnering agencies in town.

Within the next month, they will begin breaking ground for tiny homes to replace some of the tents at the facility. It is just one of the many additions that Paul’s Project is working hard to bring to Grace Campus.

“We have a lot of dreams,” said Jerri Ann Booe, president for Paul’s Project. “Whenever we took this, we implemented a Step Away, Step Into and Step Forward program. The ‘stepping away’ is stepping away from the things that hold somebody back. ‘Step into,’  the purpose that God has for their lives, and ‘step forward’ realizing that they can be positive members of society and community and use their gifts and abilities to help others.”

Paul’s Project is calling on the community for more volunteers at Grace Campus. Volunteers will be able to work closely with both Paul’s Project staff and residents at Grace Campus.

“We want everyone here to experience grace,” said Chris Moore, the Executive Director of Paul’s Project. “We named it that, and we know that nobody out here is perfect, including us. So, we’d like to at least extend grace to them, let them realize, you know what? We’re human. We make mistakes and you get up and you keep going.”

Moore adds that he and fellow staff want to emphasize to those currently residing at Grace Campus that their stay is temporary. They want residents to be able to learn and gather the skills that they need during their stay so that they may soon walk out of Grace and into a new, more stable life. To ensure this after they leave, residents are continuously encouraged to go on job hunts and bring back job applications to fill out at the facility.

Residents are also given a variety of chores and jobs to do during their stay at Grace Campus. The early exposure to jobs has proven to mean more to some than just a line on their resume.

“This place has opened the field of other job opportunities for me and they’ve been very helpful through the entire thing,” said John-Rex Smith, a current resident at Grace Campus. “Right now, I am looking for a job dishwashing, because out of all the different jobs I’ve experienced the past two years, I’ve really liked doing it.  It keeps me focused. At the same time, with my understanding of faith, somebody had to clean up the mess after the last supper, and I try to always remember those people.”

Are you interested in volunteering at Paul’s Project-Grace Campus? Send them a message on their website: http://www.paulsprojectlubbock.org/CONTACTS/
You can also call at this number for additional information: 806- 544-3365

Details on next week’s event:
WHO: Paul’s Project-Grace Campus
WHAT: Inaugural Fundraising Social
WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, 2016, 5:30 pm- 7:30pm
WHERE: McPherson Cellars, 1615 Texas Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79401
WEBSITE: paulsprojectlubbock.org

Paul’s Project staff and volunteers hope that through this event, they will be able to raise awareness and resources to continue building a healthy environment at Grace Campus.