A Letter from Executive Director, Wes Tillett
Shelter, Strain, and Steadfast Community Hope
Dear Friend,
For more than 41 years – exceeding 15,000 nights in a row – we’ve opened our doors to our neighbors. And this winter, that commitment is being tested like never before.
After weeks of biting cold – when temperatures have regularly dipped well below normal – our community has felt the harsh, relentless force of winter. Our 48-bed, year-round Emergency Shelter has been full – with a wait list – since April 2024. Our Winter Warming Station, designed for 50 guests, has been stretched beyond capacity almost every night. In January alone, the WWS sheltered an average of 53 guests each night. That means on any given evening, there are 50 people on mats, with more sleeping directly on the floor or shuttled to LTHC overflow cots – safe and warm, but far from ideal.
Even amid these challenges, we witness hope in action every night. The LUM Emergency Shelter and Winter Warming Station offer not only warmth and food, but also dignity and a path forward. People like Stephen, Mack, Miranda (pictured at left), Jo, and Tyrell remind us that these aren’t just programs – they are a lifeline of help and hope, empowering people to rebuild their lives. Many of our shelter guests return later with notes of gratitude – or even donations of their own – because they know firsthand what that lifeline meant.
Right now, we need your help to keep that lifeline strong. The demand is rising, our resources are stretched thin, and the need for food, volunteers, and funding is immediate.
Would you consider a gift today to keep our neighbors safe and warm tonight?
- $20 provides one night of shelter for one person
- $140 provides one week
- $600 provides one month
Every guest stays free of charge – but it costs LUM more than $20 per night to provide the essentials: a secure space, a meal, fresh linens, showers, and warmth in winter. LUM relies almost entirely on the generosity of people like you to keep providing safe, overnight shelter.
Because of your partnership, no one sleeps outside in the cold. Because of your compassion, hope stays alive in Greater Lafayette.
We’ve done this for more than four decades—and with continued support from people such as you, we can continue to provide refuge from winter’s icy grasp.
Please give today and help LUM continue to provide life-saving, life-giving shelter for our neighbors.
Sincerely,
Wes Tillett, Executive Director, Lafayette Urban Ministry
P.S. Please give online at LUMserve.org/give-now, scan the QR code, or mail a check to “LUM” at 420 N 4th St., Lafayette, IN 47901. Or support LUM through qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), gifts of stock, or planned and legacy gifts. These giving methods can offer tax advantages while making a lasting impact for our neighbors in need. Thank you for your kindness!