CCF grant lends support to new Denton homeless shelter and rehabilitation facility

December 9th marked a momentous occasion for Denton as officials cut the ribbon for Our Daily Bread’s new 34,000-square-foot homeless support facility off North Loop 288. The grand opening, which was years in the making, received support on numerous fronts, with the building being donated by the city in 2019 and private funding from organizations like the CoServ Charitable Foundation aiding in the purchase of things like bedding, industrial washers and dryers, and commercial refrigeration units.

“This is a culmination of work that began in 2014 when then-mayor [Chris] Watts formed a task force on homelessness that brought together community stakeholders and service providers to see what could be done to better improve the services offered to the homeless population,” said Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth. “The opportunity to serve efficiently, and more importantly, the wrap-around services to bring someone, meet them where they are, support them where they are, and then support them as we move forward and get them housed...”

Our Daily Bread feeds, shelters, and cares for the homeless and at-risk in the community, striving to maintain the dignity of their guests while offering opportunities for a new start.

The facility boasts a state-of-the-art kitchen, laundry services, and classroom settings for things like income and employment education, wellness support, and technical education for homeless and at-risk individuals.

Also in attendance to see the realization of the nearly-decade-long initiative were Denton County Judge Andy Eads and many current and former members of the Denton City Council.

“There were two things that we talked about with this partnership—and it is a partnership between the city and the county,” said Judge Eads. “Number 1, we would adopt best practices when dealing with this population, and, Number 2, that we would be in the life-changing business—not just the housing business. And I know that’s exactly what’s going to happen here with the comprehensive services that are on-site.”

For Executive Director Wendy McGee, the word of the day was ‘community.’

“For me, it’s community that has brought us to this place,” Wendy said. “It’s neighbors caring about neighbors, working together, and giving their talents and resources to make this happen for people who are experiencing or who are at risk of experiencing homelessness.”

At their previous location, Our Daily Bread saw anywhere from 80 to 200 people per day depending on the weather. In this new setting, however, Assistant Director Ava Santos expects that number will increase.

“We have more capacity now [and] word is getting out. People are coming to see it, and we’re going to offer more services here because we have more space to do so. So having those partner agencies coming in and knowing their hours is going to bring in more folks.”

The CoServ Charitable Foundation, which has worked with and supported Our Daily Bread since 2007, awarded the nonprofit with a grant to purchase new beds and mattresses in the transitional and overnight wings of the new facility.

“This new facility is such a huge gift to our community,” said Jennifer Ebert, CCF & Outreach Coordinator at CoServ. “By providing a safe place to sleep, hot meals, and wrap-around services under one roof seven days a week, those facing homelessness can now have the stability they need that is so critically important. Our Daily Bread is a great example of not just what can be accomplished but what can be restored when we come together.”

CCF Grants like these have far-reaching impacts on our community and wouldn’t be possible without the participation of our Members and Customers in Operation Roundup®, as well as the generous contributions of our Employees via payroll donations, fundraisers, and other events that support the CoServ Charitable Foundation.

Operation Roundup® allows Members to have their bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and contribute on average $6 per year. The CoServ Charitable Foundation helps to support organizations that assist in providing basic human needs, promoting community vitality, and that support educational initiatives. Thank you for helping make your community a better place!