Hoehl Family Foundation pledges $200,000 challenge grant for homeless shelter in Burlington
The Hoehl Family Foundation has pledged a $200,000 challenge grant to support COTS in its fundraising effort for a new Waystation homeless shelter. The grant will not only directly fund the new shelter's renovation, but also aims to inspire the community to join in by matching the grant dollar-for-dollar, ultimately raising $400,000 for the proposed state-of-the-art shelter.
The existing Waystation, located at 187 Church St., is an emergency overnight shelter for single adults and is open 365 days a year, connecting those who stay there with caseworkers to help them find housing and employment.
The new location at 58 Pearl St. is a 7,361-square-foot property acquired by COTS in January 2025, offering about three times the space of the current shelter, which would allow COTS to provide up to 56 adults with safe, supportive shelter year-round, a 55% increase over current capacity.
The Campaign for a New Waystation has already raised $500,000 from the State of Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity and $600,000 from anonymous donors. The Hoehl Family Foundation's $200,000 challenge grant brings the campaign closer to its goal of raising $2 million for the renovation of the new location.
Once completed, the new Waystation will open in December 2025, creating a "transformative resource" for Burlington's most vulnerable populations, according to a news release. In 2026, COTS plans to convert its existing Waystation into permanent affordable housing.
The Hoehl Foundation's challenge grant is structured in two parts: an immediate donation of $100,000 and a second $100,000 donation once COTS has raised an additional $200,000 on its own.
"It's not charity, it's solidarity," Katharine Kostin, a HFF board member, said in a news release. "We believe we're only as strong as our most vulnerable neighbors; therefore, we're privileged to work with the community toward supporting the dignity of every person."
COTS has long recognized the pressing need for a new Waystation to serve adults experiencing homelessness. The Waystation has been a lifeline for many for more than 40 years, but it's aging and no longer meets the needs of those it serves.
The new shelter will offer the privacy, safety and dignity people need to begin their journey toward permanent housing, featuring:
A warming kitchen to improve food access.
Fourteen bedrooms, each with space for up to four guests.
Six private bathrooms with showers.
On-site laundry facilities.
A staff office, break space and common areas.
A private meeting room for medical and support services.
Full Americans with Disabilities access throughout.
COTS is working with Duncan Wisniewski Architects and JA Morrissey Construction on the renovation to ensure the shelter meets the highest standards of care.
The need for this new facility has never been greater, according to a news release. Over the past year, COTS has seen shelter spaces consistently filled, and significant barriers to housing have left many adults without safe places to stay.
The 2024 fiscal year saw a 286% increase in visitors to the COTS's Daystation program, which provides daytime services to individuals experiencing homelessness. Many of these individuals are sleeping outside or in other precarious conditions, especially those who are from marginalized communities such as LGBTQIA+ individuals, asylum seekers, and people with mental health challenges.
"The Hoehl Family Foundation's generous challenge grant is a game-changer for this campaign and for the individuals we serve," Jonathan Farrell, executive director of COTS, said in a news release. "This project will not only provide more shelter, but it will create a space designed with the understanding that safety, privacy and dignity are fundamental to the process of moving out of homelessness."
Contact Dan D'Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Hoehl Family Foundation supports new homeless shelter with challenge grant
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