About Fresh Start:
In October of 2012, Lebanon County Christian Ministries launched a project to help the homeless of the Lebanon area. Fresh Start began as H.O.P.E.S. (Helping Others by Providing Emergency Shelter) and works to address the problem of homelessness on several fronts…not only by sheltering people for a night, but by providing career and personal counseling to help these people pull themselves out of poverty and homelessness. Fresh Start brings our neighbors in from the cold seeks to help them regain self-sufficiency and control over their lives.
Fresh Start began a new chapter when it moved to a permanent site in the Chestnut Street Community Center (formerly the First Evangelical Congregational Church) at the corner of 6th and Chestnut opposite St. Luke’s Church. On January 31, 2022, the Center welcomed its first guests from Fresh Start to the former education building. Daytime Fresh Start operations remain at the Fresh Start Resource Center at LCCM on Locust Street.
Fresh Start depends on local churches to provide resources and volunteers to oversee the overnight shelter. St. Luke’s continues its participation by providing trained volunteers to assist. In order to volunteer you must register with LCCM and complete the 30 minute online training. During the registration process you will be asked the name of your home church. If St. Luke’s is not your home church and you do not have a home church you may enter Chestnut Street Community Center (CSCC) which will indicate to LCCM that you are part of our community network.
If you have questions or want more information on how you can help, please contact Lebanon County Christian Ministries here.
See links below to sign up for a volunteer shift or for information about donating to the program.
Fresh Start Information Quick Links:
- Volunteer
- Hurdles to Housing Fundraiser
- Donation Information
- Volunteer Feedback
- Learn more about Fresh Start from the comments of past volunteers