The Caring Residents of Carlsbad, a group that supports La Posada de Guadalupe, the only year-round homeless shelter in North County, have much to celebrate as their 14th annual Friends of La Posada Dinner approaches.
This year's dinner, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29 at the El Camino Country Club in Oceanside, comes as shelter operator Catholic Charities moves closer to its longtime goal of building a Spanish-style complex that will help it more than double the number of people it can serve.
Since 1992, Catholic Charities has provided food and temporary emergency shelter to homeless men (most of them farmworkers) at this 50-bed facility on Impala Drive, which consists of two trailers that are more than 20 years old. Catholic Charities and the Caring Residents of Carlsbad have been exploring renovation plans since 2006.
The plans call for three permanent buildings: a kitchen and dining room, a 5,000 square-foot 51-bed shelter with bathrooms and a 6,000 square-foot building that will provide an additional 58 beds. Construction is expected to be completed in 2012, pending approval of a conditional use permit from the Carlsbad City Council. The shelter will phase the project, allowing it to stay open during the construction.
Tom Maddox, board president of Caring Residents of Carlsbad, said the organization has been successful in raising money to assist with the shelter's operational budget and for the rebuilding project, though he noted that it's a tight construction budget.
"We're always concerned about making sure we have enough funding, but we feel we're pretty much there with the construction site," Maddox said.
Still, he added, the group will continue to raise money for operation costs, which are currently about $250,000 a year and will increase with the expansion.
Maddox added that group is always looking for businesses to help the group with its mission.
The group will be accepting donations for its auction until Oct. 25 (contact Ursual Sweeney at 760-729-3615). For tickets and to receive more information on the dinner and auction, contact Margie Monroy at 760-729-7242.
This year's dinner, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29 at the El Camino Country Club in Oceanside, comes as shelter operator Catholic Charities moves closer to its longtime goal of building a Spanish-style complex that will help it more than double the number of people it can serve.
Since 1992, Catholic Charities has provided food and temporary emergency shelter to homeless men (most of them farmworkers) at this 50-bed facility on Impala Drive, which consists of two trailers that are more than 20 years old. Catholic Charities and the Caring Residents of Carlsbad have been exploring renovation plans since 2006.
The plans call for three permanent buildings: a kitchen and dining room, a 5,000 square-foot 51-bed shelter with bathrooms and a 6,000 square-foot building that will provide an additional 58 beds. Construction is expected to be completed in 2012, pending approval of a conditional use permit from the Carlsbad City Council. The shelter will phase the project, allowing it to stay open during the construction.
Tom Maddox, board president of Caring Residents of Carlsbad, said the organization has been successful in raising money to assist with the shelter's operational budget and for the rebuilding project, though he noted that it's a tight construction budget.
"We're always concerned about making sure we have enough funding, but we feel we're pretty much there with the construction site," Maddox said.
Still, he added, the group will continue to raise money for operation costs, which are currently about $250,000 a year and will increase with the expansion.
Maddox added that group is always looking for businesses to help the group with its mission.
The group will be accepting donations for its auction until Oct. 25 (contact Ursual Sweeney at 760-729-3615). For tickets and to receive more information on the dinner and auction, contact Margie Monroy at 760-729-7242.