On Oct. 22, Isaiah 117 House of Calhoun County hosted a fundraising lunch and dinner at the Kool Family Community Center. The two meals brought in around 275 guests in total, raising around $60,000.
Isaiah 117 House of Calhoun County (isaiah117house.com) hosted a fundraising lunch and dinner at the Kool Family Community Center on Oct. 22. During the function, guests had the opportunity to learn more about Isaiah 117 House’s mission of providing children in the foster care system with a place to stay while waiting for placement. The fundraiser brought in around 275 guests between the lunch and dinner.
Volunteer Amy Acero says that it was “exciting and gratifying” to see how many people showed up for the fundraiser.
“It’s unreal and so overwhelming, and some of the people that were here have been with us from the very beginning when we didn’t even know what we were doing, and they trusted us, which is incredible,” said Acero.
Calhoun County Location Leader Emily Olmstead said the goal of the fundraiser was to help maintain the charity’s funds as they move forward with their goals.
“Two years ago, we really focused on raising the funds to build the house and then this year’s goal is really just to help us to sustain this next year as we move to our open location,” Olmstead explained.
The charity broke ground on a new house located in Pennfield Township in late June. The house will serve as a place for foster children to stay temporarily. At the fundraising dinner, Olmstead shared that the organization hopes to complete construction in December and open the house in early 2026.
“Our hope is to have occupancy in December and then we’ll begin moving in the furniture and putting in the closet shelving and all the items that will need to go into the house,” she said. “And then we’ll bring our volunteers through orientation, and we’ll bring the different agencies and DHS through for their orientation too, just to learn how the house will work… We’re hoping to cut a ribbon in early 2026- I’m going to just draw out March as the goal.”
Between both the lunch and dinner, Isaiah 117 House was able to raise over $60,000. Olmstead said that although money is essential for their project, she credits their success to the many volunteers who have given up their time and effort to the cause.
“We’re volunteer-led, and so we do put volunteers through training and we do background checks,” she said. “But our organization couldn’t do what we do without volunteers. We could have a million dollars in the bank, but if we don’t have volunteers willing to come love on the children that come to our home, then we really couldn’t do it without them. So we have an incredible group of volunteers, but we can always use more.”
Originally publised at thebattlecreekshopper.com