Limitless hope: Backing for homeless shelter grows

Kiri and Kevin Swannell are at the forefront in the fight to end homelessness in the Bay. Photo / Warren Buckland

Support continues to grow for a local organisation determined to help ease the hardship of Hawke's Bay's homeless.

Limitless Hope, founded by Kiri and Kevin Swannell and supported by Hawke's Bay Today, is a charitable trust building a strong team of trustees to accomplish their dream of Hawke's Bay's first emergency shelter.

Their online "give a little" pledge page has received more than $13,000 towards their $100,000 target.

"The progress has been pretty good," Mrs Swannell said.

They have had even more support from local labourers with Affordable Services offering pest control and Dan Sankey of Greenleaf Nursery donating plants for landscaping.

Mums on a Mission (MOAM) is also fundraising for the cause.

Mrs Swannell said the local mayors had been great.

Paul Whitaker, Property Brokers Hawke's Bay manager, had a meeting with Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule and Napier Mayor Bill Dalton yesterday about exploring potential land possibilities.

Deals on the two sites fell through but Mrs Swannell said they still had several sites to see.

She and her team have four weeks to relocate their building to a new site or risk losing all of their pledges to date.

"If we don't hit that (target) everyone gets their money back, and we get nothing."

Property Brokers donated the two-storey building for the cause. Mr Whitaker said a 240sq m building in St Aubyn's St West, used by the business for the past 20 years, had been offered to Limitless Hope for use as a shelter, provided it could be relocated within a reasonable time.

Mrs Swannell and her team are still hunting for land and looking to confirm their strategic plan. She said MP Stuart Nash and the Labour Party had been "awesome supporters" throughout the campaign.

"He donated $150 and arranged for us to have lunch with a group of Labour representatives."

Mrs Swannell also commended the efforts of the Hawke's Bay Rapid Relief Team for donating more than 30 blankets and bottled water. The campaign's Facebook page has had more than 1700 likes and received many comments from locals expressing support.

A fundraiser for the appeal has been confirmed at the Thirsty Whale on July 8. It will cost $50 per ticket with half of the proceeds going towards the Emergency Shelter Appeal.

The team is hoping for as many businesses as possible to jump on board and provide goods and services for the evening.

For tickets contact Mrs Swannell on 0273019491 or to make a donation visit givealittle.co.nz/project/limitlesshope