Lowe's Heroes volunteer to fix up women's shelter

Armed with power tools and lumber, Lowe's Heroes volunteers arrived at the Monroe Gospel Women's Mission last week ready to work.

The 11-man crew spent the day completing numerous enhancements, designed to increase safety and make the Lewis Street shelter more comfortable for its residents. Every year, the Lowe's Heroes program engages in various outreach projects throughout the communities served by Lowe's stores. Human resources manager Jim Wilde serves as the lead for the Lowe's Heroes program from Bellingham to Renton, facilitating projects across the region.

Wilde also has experience in social services, so a Heroes project at Monroe's women's shelter was right in his wheelhouse. He initially came to the shelter seeking services for a homeless client, and appreciated the mission's homelike atmosphere. He said he knew it would be a perfect candidate for a Lowe's Heroes project. -á -á

"This is one of the only shelters that actually takes women without children,GÇ¥ Wilde said. "This is a really great program.GÇ¥

Monroe resident Dorothy Stima founded the Monroe Gospel Women's Mission in 2005. The mission provides women of all ages with temporary housing, food, spiritual guidance, counseling and access to resources. Funded through grants, private donations and an annual fundraising auction, the nonprofit strives to provide services to women in a caring and nondiscriminatory manner.

Women staying at the mission are encouraged to set goals, and are required to attend classes at the nearby nonprofit, Take the Next Step. Dorothy's son, Monroe Baptist Church pastor and former Monroe City Councilmember John Stima, helps her run the mission.

The mission serves around 100 women annually, allowing them to remain at the residence for a period of 90 days or longer. Clients are routed to the mission via 2-1-1, a countywide resource hotline operated by Volunteers of America Western Washington. The mission can serve roughly 16 women at any given time and typically operates at close to 100-percent capacity, requiring a waiting list.

"This project is right in the heart of Monroe,GÇ¥ Wilde said. "They do a great job, and we're excited to be here.GÇ¥

Heroes volunteers completed the project on Wednesday, Sept. 23. They built an outdoor corner bench unit featuring three interconnecting planter boxes, and provided new patio furniture and a large, family-size barbecue. Volunteers tore down an old wheelchair ramp that had fallen into disrepair and constructed a new ramp and wooden railing.

The ramp was built out of a durable material made from recycled milk jugs and oak.

"This is called Choice Deck. It won't ever rot; it won't ever fade,GÇ¥ Wilde said. "It'll be something that they never have to worry about.GÇ¥

Assistant director Adriana Moreno has worked at the mission for five years. She said the Lowe's Heroes project was one of the more significant projects done at the mission, and the new patio furniture was both needed and appreciated. The old wheelchair ramp badly needed to be replaced, and they hadn't had a functioning barbecue grill in the entire five years she's worked there.

"We are so excited. We've been counting the days since Jim told us,GÇ¥ Moreno said. "We just feel really special and loved.GÇ¥