Camp Haven Sanctuary

Help Us Slash the Toll from 2025’s Killer Cold!

January’s dreaded polar vortex has arrived – and it’s not expected to get above freezing for most of this week.

Here at Camp Haven Homeless Sanctuary in Bastrop County, we know the few warm beds we have available won’t be enough to handle the demand we believe is coming.

Likewise, there won’t be enough warming stations, church spaces, and shelters that will accept people with pets – and most homeless people won’t abandon their animals to get out of the cold. That’s because service animals, with their body warmth, companionship, and protective nature, are part of a homeless person’s survival kit.

And so we’re dreading the prospect of losing more of our homeless citizens to the arctic cold engulfing us all.

We know we can’t ignore this looming disaster, and we can’t stop it with what we have. But there’s a way around it – and that path runs through you, the generous people of America.

We’re asking for donations that will let us put people up in hotel rooms in and around Central Texas until this weather crisis is over. Please give whatever you can!

The brutal winter storm of 2021 killed 246 people across our state. With your help, we can prevent that sad history from repeating itself.

Camp Haven Homeless Sanctuary is on the verge of closing, and we need your help!

It's been 3½ years since I and my family, friends and supporters started our shelter in response to legislation that made homelessness a crime throughout the state of Texas. Many friends and benefactors donated generously to Camp Haven in the beginning, but donations gradually declined as time went by.

We worked continuously to obtain more reliable funding, refinancing our home and racking up nearly $100,000 in personal debt to pay for camp improvements and living expenses for our residents. We also appealed to churches and local services for help, with only modest results.

Recently, we asked Bastrop County to consider funding Camp Haven’s ongoing operations, but the decision process may take several months. Also, we anticipate running out of operating funds before the end of April, which means we may miss Bastrop County’s 2025 budget cycle altogether.

Christmas Day has just ended but its spirit lingers, and it’s in that spirit that I’m asking you to please donate whatever you can to keep our homeless shelter going for a few months more. Many of you have already given generously, but our challenges in 2025 are greater than they’ve ever been. We’re looking at higher property taxes, along with needing to pay for septic system improvements, reliable and safe transportation for camp residents, fuel for vehicles, and steady food donations (especially protein).

We thank you for helping us in the past, and we thank you today for considering supporting us now in our time of greatest need. We know it’s a lot to ask, but our faith in your generosity is as big as Texas! And together we can keep this homeless shelter open to keep serving some of our most vulnerable in our society. Thank you