Goals, Objectives and Progress of the Capital Campaign:

The goal of reStart's capital campaign, A New Start, is to provide for the dignity, comfort, security and safety of Kansas City's neediest citizens.

Capital Campaign Chair Diane Botwin Alpert and Executive Director Evie Craig at groundbreaking	reStart and JE Dunn partner on the construction project.

The new face of reStart Inc	Newly remodeled Family Transitional Living shelter at reStart Inc.

Check out our open house to showcase the newly renovated Family Transitional Living Shelter

http://www.medialibraryvideovault.com/medialibrary/kc/client/ReStart/New%20Restart%20Center.wmv

We are pleased to report on our renovation progress thus far. reStart has completed several construction goals, including the renovation of three floors to create six family suites per floor – each with two bedrooms, a bathroom, and living space and the renovation of the first floor to create a youth shelter with secure and customized space for emergency shelter of runaway and homeless youth ages 12 – 18 (a capacity of 4 girls and 6 boys). The newly renovated section is also equipped with central heat and air, double glazed windows, key card access only for residents and a sprinkler system. Additionally, an enhanced front lobby has been completed, including counseling space and staff offices, and a state-of the-art security system will be installed.

reStart operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The shelter never closes its doors to people in need. The operations have, and must continue to, operate during the renovation process. Implementation of the project has reStart challenged to balance the obligations of continuing to fulfill our mission while maintaining fiscal responsibility. In order to do this our office staff and guests are living in half of our building as we renovate the other half. At this time, we are moving into the newly renovated “Phase I” part of our facility and preparing for “Phase II” of the renovation.

Phase II includes the construction of a new kitchen and communal dining room, reconfiguring the family emergency shelter so we can serve 17 families at a time, reconfiguring the overnight shelter to increase capacity from 50 to 65 men and from 33 to 50 women a night, renovating two floors for single adult transitional housing, installation of safety features such as a new sprinkler system, smoke alarms, elevator adjustments and key-card security, as well as several other renovations to the 100 year old facility.

Our overall objectives are:

• Provide environments that encourage the move toward independence
• Create distinct service areas for guests, staff and volunteers
• Install adequate heating, cooling and plumbing systems
• Improve security systems and increase visual control of common areas
• Improve operating efficiency and reduce energy consumption
• Maintain current operating costs and meet contractual obligations for services
• Repair the deteriorating building envelope
• Increase the capacity of the Overnight Emergency Shelter for Single Men and Women (33 beds)
• Include space for a youth emergency shelter (10 beds)
• Provide accessible space for persons with special needs

Summary of the Project:

The present capital campaign will enable reStart to make a difference in the lives of homeless individuals and families, particularly the growing number of children we shelter. When reStart began providing shelter in the early 1980s, our residents were adult men and some women – single persons visible on the streets of downtown Kansas City. Our focus has expanded as the number of children and youth sheltered at reStart rose from 6 in 1996 to 626 in 2006. This is an increase of over 1200 percent. Our emergency and transitional families live on one floor, in each family in a single dorm room. They families share a communal bathroom with 15 other families. The rooms are small and the windows are drafty in the winter and warm in the summer. The current facility, lacking adequate heating, ventilation, plumbing and security, does not provide for the safety, security, and comfort of the children we serve who range in age from newborns to young adults.

Two specific needs are addressed by this project --- physical improvements to the reStart shelter facility and services to homeless men, women, and families with children and youth. The main reStart facility is a very old hospital (one section nearly 100 years old) that has been added to and upgraded on a regular basis to meet current needs.

Fundraising:

We want to thank all of the donors to A New Start Homeless Shelter Renovation project. To date, reStart has obtained the support of numerous foundation, corporate, government, and individual donors. We have raised over half of our $9.1 million total goal. If you are interested in making a donation to the campaign, please contact Evelyn Craig, Executive Director at (816) 472-5664 x.252 or email her at ecraig@restartinc.org - Tax credits are also available. Or, click the link at the bottom of the page for more information.

This goal includes both Phase I and Phase II of the project. Some of our major donors include: the Hall Family Foundation, the Mabee Foundation, JE Dunn Construction Company, City of Kansas City, Missouri – Community Development Block Grant, the Missouri Housing Trust Fund, the Sunderland Foundation, the American Century Foundation, H&R Block, the WT Kemper Foundation and numerous individuals.

The Honorary Chair of the Capital Campaign is Mr. William Dunn, Sr., President Emeritus of JE Dunn Construction Company in Kansas City and one of the top philanthropic leaders in our community, well experienced in major capital campaigns. The Chair of the Capital Campaign Cabinet is Diane Botwin Alpert, a former Chair of the Board of Directors of reStart. Ms. Alpert is an attorney specializing in real estate law and is General Partner of Botwin Family Partners LP, a real estate development and management company.

Sustainability:

The renovations to be accomplished through reStart’s capital campaign will increase the efficiency of operations. It will cost less to provide services because of improvements to the heating and cooling systems. Moreover, experience has shown that donors to a capital campaign will be more likely to make contributions to annual campaigns and attend special events. At the conclusion of the project, reStart will have expanded its donor base and improved its fundraising operations. These outcomes will benefit our annual campaigns for years to come.

Needs Statement:

1. Financial support for our capital campaign to complete Phase II of our building renovation.
2. Financial support for our ongoing daily operations of our many programs and facilities.
3. Sponsorship support from corporations that wish to build a relationship with reStart.
4. Volunteer support from individuals and congregations who can directly impact and serve our guests.
5. Community advocates who can speak out about homelessness in Kansas City's urban core.

To Donate: