Help Save Camp Haven from Closing

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